


A Wolf At The Door

by abunchofatoms



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 31,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27399910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abunchofatoms/pseuds/abunchofatoms
Summary: As a result of a confrontion with the last Malivore's monster, Hope gets split in two and finds herself face to face with her dark side. Chaos ensues and guess who stuck right smack in the middle of the two? Josie Saltzman.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 130
Kudos: 847





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my mother language, so I'm sorry for any mistake.

Hope narrowed her eyes when they began to feel tired, let out a frustrated sigh, and leaned back against her chair. Her gaze drifted towards the window and she frowned as she realized that it was already dark. How long had she been in the library?

Looking at the clock on the door, she was surprised to learn that she’d spent the last 3 hours trying to figure out some way to kill Malivore.

It wasn't going to be easy, having lost one of the keys to unleash Malivore with some Triad agents, so she was forced to figure this out as quickly as possible.

She let out a loud sigh remembering that trip, like after going back to school Josie confessed her old feelings for her, the memory sent a blast of something hot straight to her stomach, her hands gripping the edge of the table for a second until she regains her composure.

After that confession she’d been avoiding Josie, she couldn't look at her without her body responding immediately. Her heart was going crazy, her eyes were turning gold, and her fangs threatened to come out.

The only time they had seen each other after her little confession was when Josie had sat next to her in the common room, at first Landon had been with her, but he had left after seeing Rafael, leaving her alone there.

_"Hi, Hope" the brunette greeted a little shy, sitting down next to her._

_Hope had simply frozen there for some reason unknown to her, her throat suddenly closed and her heart began to pound like crazy. Her eyes began to burn gold and she closed them at the intensity of the sensations that ran through her body._

_"Are you okay, Hope?" asked the worried siphon._

_The tribrid wanted to respond, but found that it couldn't breathe much less speak._

_Josie shifted a little in her seat, sending her a breath of air filled with her intoxicating scent. Hope realized that her respiratory function was not the only thing altered, something strange was happening, a completely new tingling sensation had taken over her body._

_"Today I approached Lizzie ..." began the witch with a serious expression "she still doesn’t speak to me"_

_‘What's going on?’ Hope wondered when a fluttering sensation started in her stomach._

_"I'm sorry," Hope muttered, her mind still trying to figure out why her heart was racing like crazy and she was still having trouble breathing._

_Plus, every time Josie moved, she smelled her and that only made things worse._

_"It's not your fault"_

_And that's when the brunette touched her and something broke inside Hope. Her eyes widened in horror when she felt a great need to mark Josie. She quickly realized that there was only one thing to do: get out of there._

She hadn't seen her since, she blamed the full moon that was near, her wolf was a bit out of control because of that.

She presses her fingers against her temples. She needed to focus on something else and she had to stay away from Josie until the strange effect she had on her was gone or at least dimmed down.

She rests her elbows on the table and drop her head into her hands.

She was exhausted and without any clue to end the supernatural mud puddle.

She was about to start investigating again when Alaric entered the library.

"Hope, I think we have another monster"

_Perfect_ , the girl thought in annoyance.


	2. Chapter 2

_How the hell could they hunt that thing if it can possess people?_ She thought as she continued her seemingly endless monster hunt.

She walked among the people at the party, looking for signs of unusual behaviour. But it was a teenage party in the middle of the forest and most of them were drunk, so everyone was behaving strangely.

Then she looks at a girl, dressed in black from head to toe. Her outfit only rivalling with the shade of her straight hair, if possible it was darker than the fabric that hugged the woman's slender figure.

But beyond the surprising of the whole thing, nothing caught her attention more than her eyes.

She didn't know which was more shocking: the total lack of an iris or the fact that, instead of normal round pupils, she had two fine lines that seemed to cut vertically across the whites of her eyes.

Hope walked purposefully towards her, ready to attack, when Josie appeared beside her.

"it's her?" asked the brunette.

_God, her stomach was doing that again!_

"What ... what are you doing here?" she stuttered when she saw Josie.

"The whole super squad came in case you and dad need help," Josie reported.

Hope was suddenly lost in Josie's chocolate brown eyes.

_Stop doing that!_ her mind trying to discipline herself.

"hey! Where she went? "

"huh?"

"The girl, where is she?" Josie asked not seeing the strange girl.

Hope looked around, but the girl was no longer in sight.

"damn" the tribrid muttered.

"Just a second ago she was there"

"I know, Jo"

Hope and Josie started looking for the strange girl in the middle of the people, until they went a bit into the forest and away from the party, then Hope looked at the strange girl in the middle of some trees.

The tribrid took Josie's arm, ignoring the jolt of electricity that ran through her body at the mere touch of her.

"Josie, you’ve gotta get out of here"

"WHAT?" Josie frowned. “I can't leave you alone”

Hope needed to get her out of there before the monster did something to her.

"you have to go, now!" she insisted, her eyes were busy looking warily at the girl in front of them.

Any doubts Hope might have regarding the identity of the girl in front of them vanished when the woman smiled at them with her charcoal black eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> English isn't my first language

Instinctively, Hope stepped forward, putting her body protectively between Josie and the monster.

The monster could smell the panic radiating from the auburn girl. She was afraid, not for herself, but for the insignificant creature behind her. How typical!

The monster's lopsided grin grew broader, she knew she couldn't fight the tribrid, but with this girl here, she evened out the odds. And with what she had learned, she knew that the girl was her ideal shield.

Hope's gaze never left the girl in front of her.

The tribrid cast a spell and Josie's eyes widened as the girl evaporated in a thick cloud of black smoke.

"Hi"

Both Hope and Josie were startled when they heard the voice come from behind them. Before Josie could say anything, Hope had already turned them around and placed herself between her and the stranger once more time.

"Josie, go"

"No!"

"Jo, this isn’t the time to be stubborn, just go" she pushed the brunette a little.

Hope’s entire body stiffened when she felt cold fingers gripping the back of her neck. Without warning, she was roughly throw through the forest, slamming her back against a tree.

"Why do you care so much about her?" the monster asked, dangerously circling Josie.

Josie was about to cast a spell on the girl when the monster lunged at her grabbing her neck.

A stab of pain shot through Hope's chest as she looked at Josie struggling for breath.

Josie's hands went up to her neck, clawing, desperately trying to free herself from the suffocating grip, but to no avail.

"Stop!" Hope says, a mixture of terror and fury sending a powerful adrenaline rush into her system.

Fingers still digging into Josie's throat, the monster looked at Hope.

"She likes you" the girl's voice seemed to grow louder as Josie lost consciousness.

Her pulse pounded in her ears as she chanted a spell and threw it at the woman, making her disappear.

Hope was kneeling next to Josie in the blink of an eye.

"Jo, are you okay?" Hope asked terrified, as she looked at the brunette. She pulled away to look at her with wide eyes, slowly the colour returned to her cheeks and she let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm fine," Josie said, stunned.

"I'm so sorry" Hope apologized as she stood up.

"Okay, the important thing is that we are safe" said the brunette coldly.

Hope frowned, something was wrong. Why was Josie acting so cool and calm? And there was something about the way she was moving that she found disconcerting, her pace was slow and controlled.

"Josie, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes why do you ask?"

It was then that the siphon smiled and Hope froze. This was not Josie, that smile, Josie had many smiles one for each situation, from awkward and shy to smug and confident. She was surprised when she realized that she knew them all.

The one now looking into her mouth was not one of them.

"What did you do to her?"

Josie tilted her head, still smiling.

"What are you talking about, Hope?"

That settled it, the way she said her name.

"You are not her!" the tribrid growled.

The brunette backed away carefully and soon the two of them were circling around.

"I guess I underestimated you"

"Yes, you did it"

Hope looked at her, preparing to cast a spell.

“I wouldn't do that if I was you. Unless you want to say goodbye…” Josie looked down at herself, an expression of disgust marring Josie's face before she finished “to this”


	4. Chapter 4

Hope's hands instinctively fell at the threat.

"So predictable"

She watched as Josie's body began to walk slowly around her.

"what do you want?" Hope asked.

The brunette's chocolate eyes turned chilling as they looked up at Hope, her head tilted, almost mechanically to the side.

"what do you think?"

After a minute the brunette seemed to relax, the sudden wave of anger that swept through her finally subsided.

“When I woke up in the middle of nowhere, I wasn't thinking on doing anything. In fact, I was quite happy to no longer be in the dark” she smiled at Hope “there is a lot of fresh food to harvest and who would have thought that I would run into someone so exquisite "

"Josie ..."

"What this girl knows is fascinating" the monster sneered "like I said, I wasn't planning on coming here, but then feeling of this little pull and can't help but follow it"

"What are you doing to Josie?"

"Oh don’t worry. I'm not feeding off of her, she's still here” She commented, tapping her temple with her index finger “well, most of it anyway”

"Do you feed off memories?" Hope asked as she followed her with her eyes.

"Memories, thoughts, ideas ... yes"

Josie turned to look at her. It was disconcerting to see Josie's body, her face, smell her scent and yet know that it wasn't her.

"These ... humans ..." she practically spat the word "they are not that bright, very basic rational thought processes, very bland, but they compensate in the most creative aspects, you should see the fantasies that this girl has" her mouth formed a malicious smile.

Hope's eyes widened as the monster began to approach her. Her back stiffened as she reached up and caressed her cheek.

The tribrid pulled away from her touch, but not fast enough, and the monster had confirmed what she suspected.

"Oh, but you know, don't you, Hope?" her smile widened.

Hope just looked at her.

The monster couldn't believe its luck.

The perfect weapon against her, her only true weakness was the owner of the body she controlled at that very moment. It couldn't have worked better if she had planned it.

"Frustrating no? Knowing it and not being able to do anything about it? "

Hope's jaw muscles clenched as she clenched her teeth, searching for the much-needed control.

She approached the tribrid tantalizingly.

"You crave this body, right?"

"Leave her out of this," Hope growled.

"Where would the fun be in that?"

"what do you want?" the tribrida repeated the question.

"I guess that would be the right question, since I already know what YOU want." She tossed her hair behind her shoulder and stood in front of the tribrid. "I want the boy and the last key. I don't want to go back to that place, so I need those two things"

"You probably deserved to be in Malivore"

"Probably" admitted the monster shamelessly "but that doesn't mean I want to go back"

There was a moment's pause before continuing.

“Do you know how lucrative my gifts can be? I can get any information, any secret and just sell it to the highest bidder” She wasn't sure if she should tell her that much, but she didn't care.

Soon it would all be over anyway.

She seemed lost in thought for a moment.

"Now, let's see where to start?" the monster reflected.

Surrounding her like a predator to its prey.

"Between this girl and the information I have taken here and there, I already know enough about you, Hope Mikaelson" She informed her, standing in front of her face.

 _Too close_ , Hope thought. But she didn’t back down.

“So honourable, so self-righteous and so moral, aren’t you? So different from the Great Evil that your father was" she ridiculed her" but we both know you do falter sometimes, there is something else inside you, isn’t there? A side that you so desperately try to suppress… a side that seems to wake up more every time… this girl is close to you "

Hope tried very hard not to let her words affect her, but the fact that they came from Josie's mouth didn't help. She could feel the change in her and couldn't pull away when Josie's hand settled on her right shoulder, slowly running down the length of her arm.

“You have pushed that part of yourself so deeply that you don't even realize how you really feel about it. Every now and then it comes to the surface and scares you, so you push it so deep inside you hoping that it will disappear… it won't "

She was paralyzed, her mind screaming at her to push her, make her stop, but she didn't move.

"I know everything this girl has experienced, every thought, every memory ..." her tongue came out to wet her lips "every fantasy, she wants you as much as you do, do you want to know how she feels when you're around?

The monster met her gaze.

“I can make you see. Make you feel what she feels…” she tempted as her index finger travelled up her arm.

Hope's breath caught in her throat when Josie's toe touched the skin of her collarbone.

"No" came out of her reverie and grabbed her wrist.

Before she could say another word, her mind was assaulted by a flood of images, tastes, scents, and sounds that flowed freely from the point where their skins made direct contact into her brain.

Hope gasped, struggling to keep her breathing even, her heart nearly leaking from her chest as she was assailed by an irresistible amount of fragmented dreams and yearnings. Vivid flashes of sweat-covered skin, eager mouths and probing tongues, overwhelming desire as their naked bodies collided with each other.

"God" choked, letting go of her hand and stumbling backward still reeling from the intense surge of emotions raging inside her.

She blinked a few times, trying to focus, barely aware of the words being spoken.

"I can do a lot, Hope"

She shook her head. She needed to concentrate. This was all a trick. Needs to ...

"I could give you what you so desperately want"

She frowned in confusion.

“She wouldn’t know what happens. There would be no annoying questions "

"No" she managed to say.

"Oh, come on! You know you don't mean that "

She rushed back as the monster tried to close the distance between them once more.

“This is all a lie. You're making this up” She tried to rationalize it.

"I can't fabricate false memories or fantasies." She paused for a moment and then laughed. "Well, I actually can, but none as juicy as these. These are all hers. And you have to admire the fact that I haven't made my lunch with them. They are quite delicious! "

Still dumbfounded by the whole experience, she was so distracted that she didn't even realize the monster had moved until it leaned toward her and pushed her back until her back was against a tree.

"You could have me, Hope"

"No ... you are not ... her" she uttered weakly and the monster pressed closer against her body.

Her hands on her shoulders, her body close to hers, her mouth so close, her scent surrounding her… it was intoxicating.

Almost there.

Due to her tribrid nature, her mind was stronger, it was impossible to control her, not as easily as that human. But there was a way.

"Just give up," Josie's voice coaxed, letting her lips brush hers.

The new torrent of visions broke the last fragment of Hope's resistance and her arms wrapped around her without thinking to pull her closer for a ravenous kiss.

Her mouth blended, her lips fervently sucking hers, her tongue thrusting inward as everything remained forgotten.

Her mind was overflowing with a powerful surge of passion, she could feel herself falling, being engulfed, overpowered, taken over ... there was something ...

I couldn't do this! She said with her last trace of consciousness. She pulled away and murmured a spell on Josie's chest.

She tried to push her away, but this only unleashed a burning pain that shot through her chest. It was as if a part of her had merged with the monster within Josie's body, a part that was now being ripped from her as the light from her spell intensified until the two of them were enveloped in blinding light.

Pain shot through her, but she refused to let it go as she fell further into oblivion until she passed out.

When the bodies of Josie and Hope fell to the ground, there were not two, but three unconscious bodies in the middle of the small clearing.


	5. Chapter 5

“Josie” was the first thing that left Hope's lips when she regained consciousness.

Her head throbbed with a dull ache just like her entire body. The pain seemed to double when she opened her eyes and winced.

When her blurry vision cleared, she could see her lying next to her, moving slowly, letting out a series of plaintive moans.

she got up off the ground and crawled toward Josie, ignoring the sting of every muscle caused by her movements.

“Why do I feel like I was just hit by a truck?” Josie complained, putting her hand to her throbbing temple.

“You're good?” Hope asked worriedly, resting a hand on her arm.

Josie paused and looked at her with a frown.

 _That's Josie, there's no question about that_ , she thought shyly walking away as the two painfully scrambled to their feet.

"What just happened?" The brunette asked leaning against a tree next to her when her knees seemed determined to giving out under her.

"I ..." Hope stammered, not knowing how much she actually remembered.

Did she remember?

"Where is ... ow! ... the monster?"

Yes, she remembered. Damn!

"My head hurts and I'm a little dizzy, I need an aspirin"

“I'll get you one” the tribrid quickly offered seeing her chance to buy herself some time to figure out what to do with this situation.

“We’re in the middle of the forest, just give me a moment to breathe”

 _What was he going to do?_ Hope thought as she looked at the brunette leaning against the tree trying to control her headache and dizziness.

“Ok this doesn't seem to be working. Maybe I need to sit down” Josie murmured in disbelief.

In front of her, instead of a single Hope, there were two: a standing a few meters from her, looking at her with a worried face and leaning against a tree, massaging her neck there was a second.

"Why is the second Hope completely naked?" Josie wondered aloud, her eyes fixed on the naked girl's chest, causing Hope to turn around.

Her jaw dropped to the ground as she faced… herself?

The girl looked as shocked as they were as she absently walked towards them, seemingly unaware of their state of undress.

"Who are you?" The two Hopes asked at the same time.

Josie leaned to the side to look around Hope at the naked stranger.

"Well, whoever it is, it's a pretty accurate replica or so I think." Josie mused, raising her right eyebrow suggestively as she looked at it and compared it to a specific memory of when she had spied Hope shift back from her wolf form that she had hidden in private corner of your mind.

"Josie!" Hope scolded her, turning to her with a scolding look.

She looked at her innocently.

"What?"

Hope rolled her eyes and looked back at her reply.

“Do you mind?” Hope chided her, looking down to point out her lack of clothing.

The naked girl's response was a dismissive shrug that caused Hope to open her eyes and a smile to spread across Josie's lips. she looked quite comfortable as she was.

Hope let out a frustrated sigh. Without taking her eyes off her, she pulled off her jacket and tossed it towards her naked doppelganger.

_What the hell had happened?_

She even tried to make a move and the jacket fell to her feet.

"Take it and put it on, hopefully it will cover everything"

Hope's order prompted a cynical raised eyebrow from the clone, but she eventually relented and did as she was told.

"Now tell me what happened" Josie asked, feeling a little better.

"It's complicated" Hope began, but was interrupted.

"Not really"

Hope's eyes looked at her replica Threateningly. Her mind was in chaos as she tried to make sense of her doppelganger's presence and at the same time struggled with an answer to Josie's question.

“What is happening? Who is she?”

"I don't know" Hope answered honestly.

"Call me Andrea" said Hope’s clone.

The tribrid's eyes widened as her mind began to put together a theory of what had happened during the fight with the monster.

“No, it cannot be!”

"Andrea?" Josie frowned at the memory of Hope's middle name.

Hope's gaze shifted from Andrea to Josie and back. _How was I going to explain this to her?_ She took a deep breath and asked:

"What is the last thing you remember?"

Josie narrowed her eyes as she tried to point out the last memory she had of that night before waking up on the floor. It was a bit difficult with Hope half naked standing in front of her.

"The monster trying to kill me" She said quickly after a moment's pause.

"Well ... when you were ... um ... about to pass out ... the monster ..." shook her head "... took over your body" She stuttered.

"Oh God"

Josie hoped it didn't become a habit to have creatures controlling her.

She looked at her and waited for her to say something else. When she didn't, she snorted:

"and? What’d she do?"

Seeing the hesitation on Hope's face, her eyes widened in fear.

"Oh no! Don't tell me I did something to you "

She didn’t have any recollection, but from what little she’d squeezed out of Hope said and her completely red face, Josie had her suspicions that it might have happened.

"No! Nothing serious!"

"Oh thank God!" the brunette sighed in relief. “So what did she do? What did she want?”

"Um ..."

Andrea stood and watched in amusement as Hope awkwardly tried to explain what had happened, quickly skipping over the most attractive points of the interaction with the monster.

“Well… um… we fight! And ... well, I passed out in the middle of the fight and when I came back ... she must have done something. ” She lied, her stomach churning in disgust at her actions.

Andrea gave a harsh laugh.

"What a coward!"

"What?" Josie demanded turning her attention to the other Hope.

The girl just smirked at her, leaning against the tree near her.

Josie found it difficult to keep her eyes fixed on her face and not let them drift down to her well defined legs, but she was extremely proud of herself when she managed to do so.

"And where did she come from?"

"Yes, Hope, where did I come from?" Andrea asked mockingly as she turned her eyes golden.

“From what I can tell… she is… she is me! Well, a part of me "

"What?"

"I guess a part of me got ... we separated somehow ... physically"

Saying it out loud made her sound so crazy that even she couldn't believe it.

Josie just stared at her as if a second head had sprung up. Well, now that she thought about it, she had, not just a second head, but a whole body.

"Look, I don't know how to explain it either, but I guess whatever that woman did separated us and now ... well, here she is ... Andrea" Hope waved her hand in the direction of her clone.

Josie looked at her warily; somehow it didn't seem as interesting as it had at first.

"So…" She stopped looking Andrea up and down. "I guess we already know each other"

"I guess so." Andrea gave her a shrewd and knowing look, smiling a little.

Instinctively, Hope stood in front of Josie.

"Stay away from her," Hope ordered in a low voice.

"Come on Hope. Isn't there somewhere you need to be, maybe someone you need to rescue? " Andrea asked dismissively, her eyes on the brunette.

"Landon" she gasped, suddenly remembering.

How could she have forgotten? Landon and Alaric were at the party, maybe looking for them.

"Yes, Landon. Go help him” Andrea silenced her, circling Hope, completely focused on Josie.

"where are they?" asked Josie

“They must be at the party” Hope reported “We have to tell them what happened” Turning to Andrea, she added: “You are coming with me”

"No way" Andrea laughed "I have better things to do" She said leering at Josie from head to toe.

Hope felt her blood start to boil.

"Josie, stay here, I'll get help." Hope gritted her teeth, glaring at Andrea.

"I feel better now; I'll go with you" said the witch.

“In that case, I'm going too.” Andrea spoke up, earning a glare from Hope and a frown from Josie.


	6. Chapter 6

Back at school, Hope brought her clone up to her room to dress, thanks to her improved hearing she could hear Alaric's argument with Josie in her room two doors from Hope's.

"A fighter, isn't she?" Andrea smiled tossing another shirt to the growing pile of clothes on the bed.

"will you just pick something already?" Hope muttered ignoring her comment, her patience was wearing thin.

"I would if you had more than this blouse in different colours." Andrea snorted, showing a low-cut long-sleeved blouse. She continued to look at the contents of Hope's wardrobe with an expression of disgust.

Finally, she saw a black V-neck T-shirt and with a sigh of relief put it on.

 _This would do, for now_. Andrea thought. At least the girl still had the leather jacket, she noticed as she took it and put it on.

"You're done?" Hope asked clearly annoyed when Andrea simply walked into the bathroom. "What are you doing?" She asked when her counterpart washed her face, grabbed a new toothbrush, brushed her teeth before going out and picking up her perfume bottle.

Opening it, she sniffed it, grimacing. Once again, it should be enough.

Hope let out a groan, her foot impatiently hitting the ground.

“If you're in such a hurry, why don't you go? I can take care of the little witch” Andrea looked at her with a twinkle in her eyes that made Hope's stomach clench.

"Until we find a way to fix this, you will stay away from Josie, understand?" She said threateningly standing up straight and her shoulders straight.

Andrea's lips curved into a smirk and she shook her head. When she tried to leave, Hope stood in front of her, blocking her way to the door, her hand on Andrea's chest, preventing her from moving as she quietly repeated:

"Stay away from Josie"

Slowly, Andrea raised her eyes to look at Hope.

"Or what?"

"Or we'll have a problem," Hope replied, matching her cold gaze.

Without a word, Andrea pulled Hope's hand away, their shoulders colliding together as she walked alongside her into Josie's room.

"About time," Alaric exclaimed without bothering to finish the conversation she was having with Josie when the two girls arrived.

Josie was a bit surprised when she saw Andrea. She had wondered how she would be able to tell the two apart. After seeing her, she realized that that wouldn’t be a problem.

"So the mutt owns more clothes and a leather jacket?" Lizzie scoffed from her spot on the bed.

"can we speak now?" Hope asked Alaric. "We have to find a solution to this," she points out to Andrea.

Andrea nodded and smiled at Josie that chills ran down her spine.

 _It is definitely not a problem to tell them apart_ , the brunette thought.

She had never seen that expression on Hope's face.

Hope's eyes widened at the exchange of flirtatious looks between the two; her stomach clenched as her ears caught Josie's heartbeat as it skipped a couple of beats.

The two of them were side by side and Josie looked at them for a moment: they were identical and yet surprisingly different. Hope looked ridiculously uncomfortable and Andrea, on the other hand, was oozing confidence.

If one Hope was already difficult to deal with, two were just an overload of… Well, whatever it was, it was definitely an overload.

Josie shook her head, pushing the creeping thought to the back of her mind, she would deal with this later.

"Let's go to the office to talk about this," Alaric commented.

The three of them walked silently behind the director. Lizzie wanted to go with them, but Alaric hadn't let her.

Inside the office Alaric made them sit in the couch there and then began his speech about their safety and how they shouldn't have followed the monster without waiting for reinforcements.

Josie's stomach churned wildly as she felt Andrea move and her leg wrapped in black jeans brush against hers. Instinctively, she leaned a little closer to Hope.

Hope's hands instantly clenched into fists and her pulse began to race at her proximity.

The seconds passed noisily. While Alaric spoke without realizing what was happening with the girls.

"God, you two take up a lot of space" said the brunette in a low voice trying not to make her father hear.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Andrea moved her left arm, letting it rest on the back of the chair behind Josie.

"Better?" Her voice was pure sugar and she was so close to her ear that she could feel her hot breath on her red cheek.

 _Not really_ , Josie thought.

"Yes," Josie flinched when her voice broke in mid-word.

Hope shot an angry look at Andrea, who just smirked at her.

Josie swallowed hard as she realized the strange tension between the two girls.

Hope was so consumed by the strange feeling of anger that bubbled up inside her that she didn't hear the question Alaric asked her.

"Hope?" asked Alaric getting her attention

"Um ... sorry, what were you saying?"

"if you remember what happened, how did the monster bring Andrea here?" asked the director again.

"No, sorry, I didn't know what happened"

"Okay, wait here, I'll see Dorian" Alaric said before leaving the room.

Josie tried not to react to the girls' closeness, but no matter how hard she tried to avoid it, all her senses seemed to be in tune with every inch of her that was in contact with them.

On the left, her arm lightly brushed Hope's, on the right, well ... there was little of her body that didn't touch Andrea, her thigh and leg were glued to hers and her arm and back were caught in a half hug.

"Hey!" She steadied when she felt Andrea’s thumb slide down the side of her neck.

Josie didn't have time to say anything else when Hope suddenly rise from her seat.

"that’s it! Go and sit somewhere else” Hope snarled, throwing daggers at her counterpart.

Andrea's response was simply to tilt her head to the side.

"Make me"

Before Josie could realize what was happening, Hope grabbed Andrea by the lapels of her leather jacket.

Josie got up and saw Hope pushing Andrea onto a chair.

"I told you to stay away from her!" She spat in her face.

Josie's mouth fell open to protest the sudden outburst. She didn't need Hope to fight her battles and who the hell did she think she was telling people to stay away from her. But before she could say anything, Andrea's hauntingly harsh response cut her off:

"Get. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Me."

"Josie is off limits." Hope narrowed her eyes at her, pushing her back.

"Hey!" Josie said offended, but the two girls seemed too busy shooting death glares at each other to notice her angry comment.

"I didn't see any property of Hope Mikaelson stamp on her" Andrea replied; her voice dropped when she added: "but I can inspect her in more detail to be sure”

"That was it!" Furious, Josie absorbed magic from her father's desk and threw the two girls out of the office, closing the doors afterward.

Andrea stumbled backward as she tried to get up taking Hope with her, the two girls looking in surprise towards the closed doors.

"see what you did?" Andrea scoffed earning another look from Hope before they both got up off the floor.

"What are you doing there?" Alaric asked when he looked at them.

Hope shrugged and Andrea smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hosie rain kiss day, guys!

After the little fight they had with Josie, Hope and her clone decided to investigate on their own, so now they were in the library looking for everything they can about doppelgangers and soul separations.

They were looking for the book that talked about doppelgangers when they noticed the blonde witch, in a chair near the back of the library reading it quietly and taking notes in her notebook, she must be one of the new recruits because Hope doesn’t remember seeing her before.

"You just stay put and don't say anything" Hope said as she walked towards the witch.

"What I am? Your dog?" Andrea scoffed.

Hope ignored her and continued on her way to the girl. The witch wasn’t paying attention until she detected someone approaching her. Her eyes instantly widened when she noticed the two girls standing in front of her.

"Good evening" Hope greeted with a smile.

The girl smiled at her in a way that reminded her of Penelope Park.

"God, mother nature was inspired when she created you and twins, she was very generous" joked the witch winking at both girls, making them feel extremely uncomfortable, Hope more than Andrea.

"Yes" Hope cleared her suddenly dry throat "we were wondering if you could lend us the book that you're using, it's important"

"I'm sorry girl, but I have a very important homework to deliver and I need it" replied the blonde with a sweet tone.

"But it is really important"

"I'm sorry, really, I wish I could help you, but if I don't do this homework, Miss Jones will screw me hard ..." Lowering her voice suggestively, she added, "and not in a good way."

 _Okay, that comment just elevated the conversation to a new level of awkwardness_ , Hope thought.

Hope swallowed hard and her cheeks turned red. Her tongue was suddenly locked and she couldn't help stuttering.

"I ... I ... that ..."

 _Oh, for the love of God!_ Andrea thought at the clumsy attempt to talk about her counterpart.

"Look" began Andrea, her lips spread in an openly flirtatious smile, her eyes caught the name written on the cover of the notebook. "Rachel, we don't want to bother you or get you in trouble, but we would be very ...” she drawled the word out “grateful if you would just do us this little favour”

The girl was speechless, apparently captivated by Andrea's charming smile. She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times.

"Grateful, huh?"

"Very" added Andrea.

Hope was stiff, her gaze filled with wonder as she watched the exchange between the two girls.

"Good" said the girl, handing the book to Andrea with a shaking hand.

"Thank you, Rachel." Andrea practically slurred the girl's name making Hope's eyes widen in disbelief.

It was strange for her to see herself openly flirting with another girl.

"You're welcome" Rachel smiled as she watched the two girls leave the library.

"what was that?" Hope asked her clone.

"That's called making good use of your charms," Andrea reported indifferently. "and now that?" she asked when they got to Hope's room.

"Now we are looking for a way for us to become one again," said Hope sitting on her bed ready to investigate.

At some point in the course of the investigation Hope fell asleep, Andrea smiled as she looked at her other part curled up on the bed, she would take this opportunity.

She left the room silently and entered the twins' room. She watched as Josie shifted a little on the bed, a part of her mind drowning in sleep that had probably caught the sound of the door opening. Andrea stayed perfectly still and waited.

When she was sure the brunette was sound asleep, she approached her cautiously.

She was a beautiful sight, she thought.

Ignoring the other sleeping girl in the room, her eyes were fixed on Josie.

She knelt beside her and a smile played on her lips as the brunette wrinkled her nose when a lock of her hair insisted on brushing against her, making her itch. Of their own volition, Andrea's fingers reached out to brush away the impertinent curls, but they stayed on her cheek, waking Josie. The witch forced her eyes open, blinking a few times until her vision was clear enough to see Andrea's face bathed in moonlight.

"Hope?" She uttered stunned and frowning.

"Shhh ..." she whispered, drawing closer.

She was still too dazed to react. What was she doing here?

"Let's get out of here," Andrea murmured and before she could do anything, her hands had already wrapped around her curled form, one sliding behind her back and the other under her legs lifting her into her arms.

They were already out of the room when Josie finally found her voice:

"Hope! What are you doing?"

Her wordless reply came in the form of a malicious smile and she knew it instantly. A pang struck her chest.

"Andrea! Put me down, now!" Josie ordered, her pulse racing in a mixture of fear and excitement.

She ignored her and continued walking quickly down the hall.

The initial feeling of shock and amazement was quickly replaced by one of anger. Who did she think she was, breaking into her room and picking her up?

"Let me go" She said.

She fought against her chest with all her might and felt like she was pushing against a concrete wall.

"Andrea! Put me down! " She repeated a little more forcefully as they passed through the kitchen. "You are crazy? Let me go!" She grunted.

"Never"

Josie swallowed dryly, her eyes widening when she finally lowered it.

She stumbled when her knees buckled under her; she was still a little taken aback by the intensity with which Andrea had spoken that word, as a promise rather than a threat.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She demanded.

"Taking you with me," she said without thinking, without taking her eyes off Josie.

 _Jesus, why did she have to look at her like that?_ Her knees were like jelly. Ignoring her and clinging to the indignant rage she felt, she put on her best angry face and began:

"Look, I'm not a little girl you can pick up and take away!"

Josie's eyes gleamed haughtily and Andrea felt a chill of anticipation rumble through her gut. She radiated such power, like no other woman she knew. She was more than a coveted prize; she saw her as her mate.

"I know you’re not" Andrea smiled.

 _Stop doing that!_ Josie mentally ordered the girl who was pinning her with her gaze.

"So why don't you go and kidnap Landon or something?" She suggested dismissively, pushing to her side and stomping her way back to her room.

Her triumphant exit was stopped by a strong grip on her arm that forced her to turn and practically collide with Andrea’s chest. She held her in place, her fingers curled around her arms as she stared at her face. Andrea’s face was inches from hers and her closeness was having a dominating effect on both of them.

On her bed, Hope shifted slightly, a sudden flutter in her stomach disturbing her deep sleep.

"I don't want Landon; I want you" she announced naturally. "And I know you want me too"

Her eyes burned at Josie, causing her breath to catch, but she held her ground as a hint of anger surfaced at her arrogance.

Tilting her head to the side, Josie sneered:

"You’re clearly delirious"

Josie’s eyes lowered accusingly to her grip on her, but, unlike Hope, Andrea refused to let her go, so Josie was forced to pull away from her. She tried with all her might to free herself from her grip, but to no avail. Acknowledging her defeat, she changed her strategy.

She shot her a cold look.

"let me go"

Andrea’s blood ran through her veins like hot lava, the way she always seemed to do when Josie was so close. How could Hope ever have noticed?

"Andrea, if you don't ..." Her lips cut off her threat, crashing down with her mouth possessively.

Hope jumped up from the bed, the pillows falling to the floor as a powerful wave of desire crashed against her and pulled her out of her deep sleep. She ran her hand down her sweat-soaked forehead. Her heart was beating furiously, her breathing was laboured and erratic.

What was happening?

Josie's eyes snapped open in shock as Andrea continued to kiss her voraciously, one hand behind her neck, one strong arm releasing her only to wrap her around her waist and pull her closer.

Her arched back stiffened for a second, her mind suddenly in chaos as she tried to make sense of the onslaught of sensations that swept through her body, causing her knees to finally give out beneath her.

Josie remained paralyzed, pressed flush against her, her hands flattened on her shoulders as Andrea tugged and sucked on her lips, urging her to respond.

Finally, the rational part of her brain seemed to spring into action and she began to fight, her hands tried to push her, but again she failed. She was too strong and the way she was kissing her seriously didn't help.

Having no choice, she bit her, her teeth sinking hard into her lower lip, but instead of the expected howl of pain, she received a growl of satisfaction. She could feel her heart beating against her, its rhythm just as frantic as hers.

Hope doubled over as the renewed surge of pleasure hit her, causing her mouth to drop wide as she took a deep breath. She blinked wildly. God, that felt…!

What was happening to her? It was like she was ...

She stumbled out of bed and went looking for her other part.

Josie’s nails dug into the fabric of Andrea’s shirt, clawing at it in a desperate attempt to free herself. It was getting harder and harder to keep up. She could feel her treacherous body urging her to give in. It would be so easy to just…

_No!_

She could feel her resistance wavering.

Hope hesitated halfway down the hall and her eyes rolled as another wave of happiness washed over her.

This had to be Andrea's doing. I had to.

Josie!

Pulling her lips away from Josie's, Andrea gasped for breath, her eyes glazed over when she saw her, nervous and as breathless as she was.

God, she wanted her!

Josie swallowed dryly, looking at her with wide eyes.

_Please don't kiss me again!_

She wasn't sure she could resist if she did.

She leaned back when Andrea approached again.

"Don’t ..." She winced inwardly at how weak she had sounded.

Andrea just gave her a smug smile.

"Josie"

"What?" She demanded with a frown.

"Shut up"

Her eyes blazed with anger.

"You are arrogant, conceited, little bitc ..."

Her mouth was on hers again, effectively preventing her from completing her chain of curses.

Josie pushed her lips, fighting the overwhelming desire to respond to her probing mouth, but it was becoming so difficult to resist when she held her so tightly, her scent surrounding her. She smelled just like ... her. It would be so easy to pretend ...

"Andrea!"

The two parted at the growled word.

Josie gasped in her throat when she saw her standing at the end of the hall.

"Hope ..."


	8. Chapter 8

Hope's frantic run came to a sudden halt as she faced the painful sight of Josie and Andrea standing in the middle of the hall, Andrea’s arms wrapped around her slender shape, pulling her in as she kissed her hard.

An overwhelming feeling of nausea hit her. She could taste the sour acid in her mouth as it burned its way up her oesophagus and her stomach clenched tightly. This was probably what it felt like to be punched in the stomach, she reflected.

She didn't like it one bit, especially the way her throat seemed to close up, making it impossible to breathe.

After a moment, she swallowed her feelings and growled:

"Andrea!"

The two of them immediately parted, her eyes meeting hers.

Andrea let out a frustrated sigh. What the hell was her other part doing here? She was supposed to be back in her room.

Josie became aware of the fact that she was momentarily distracted to slipping awkwardly from her grasp. Her hands nervously pushed her hair back into place and she prayed she didn't look too flushed. She knew that was not an option when she could feel the heat radiating from her cheeks. But that was the least of her worries, right now, she focused on the strange twinge of self-hatred in her chest. The feeling seemed to multiply as she looked up and met Hope's eyes once more.

Instinctively, she dropped her gaze to the ground in shame.

Why was she ashamed? She’d done nothing wrong. She hadn't even kissed Andrea back, and even if she did, what was wrong with that?

"What are you doing here?" Hope demanded staring at her counterpart as she crossed the hallway and came to be face to face with her.

“I should ask you that. I'm pretty sure it’s past your bedtime. Tomorrow you have to wake up early, you have all those classes that you have to attend” Andrea scoffed.

Josie's eyes eagerly alternated between Hope and Andrea as the two seemed to join in a staring match.

"What are you doing here?" Hope repeated in a low, threatening tone.

"I came to find what is mine," Andrea sneered, sending Josie a sideways glance.

"Hey" She jumped.

Hope ignored Josie's offended outburst and continued to stare at Andrea.

"Go back to the room. Now!" She ordered through clenched teeth.

"No!" Andrea closed the small remaining distance between the two.

When Hope's hand came up to grab her arm, Andrea yanked her away, causing Hope to stagger backward.

Having found her balance, Hope prepared to attack her, but Josie anticipated her move and stepped between the two.

"Josie, step aside"

It didn't sound like a request.

"No" Josie replied looking at Hope.

She clenched her fists when she saw Andrea smile behind her.

"Josie ..."

“We are in the middle of the hall. You're not doing this” Her voice was icy.

She was getting tired of these ridiculous territorial displays.

“Be a good girl and go. We were in the middle of something” said Andrea.

At that, Josie turned and stared at Andrea.

"why do you always have to prove you’re the alpha?"

"I don't have to prove anything, I'm the alpha and I won't leave without you" she matched her intense gaze and sent a chill down her spine.

It was so strange seeing her act this way. She looked exactly like Hope, but she was nothing like her. Hope used to be a little tamer, this was just ... unnerving.

“Stick it in your thick skull. I'm not going anywhere with you” Josie was already beyond the anger.

When Andrea made a move to approach her, Josie blinked and when she opened her eyes, Hope had pinned Andrea against the nearest wall.

She was still stunned in silence when Andrea pushed her, throwing Hope across the hall, causing her to crash into the wall.

Josie was about to run to her, when she stood up smoothly. Her jaw dropped when she saw the huge dent in the shape of Hope left in the wall.

"We have to get out of here." Hope said the obvious.

"Why?"

Andrea's question elicited a frown from Josie and a look from Hope.

Turning to Hope, Josie asked sarcastically:

"So I know she's the uninhibited part of you, but is she also the part with brain damage?"

"Josie, we have to hurry," Hope warned hearing the footsteps of someone approaching.

Josie let out an annoyed growl as she pushed them back to Hope's room.

Back in her room Andrea was angry and couldn't take it anymore.

"You're pathetic" She scoffed in disgust at her double. "Why don't you tell Josie the truth?"

"Stay out of this!" Hope warned.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"Shut up!" Hope roared; the increasingly familiar rage that made her blood boil.

"She is not Landon!" Andrea declared not to back down. "She is smart and strong, she can ..."

Without warning, Hope's fist connected with her jaw and pulled her back.

"stop it!" Josie screamed, but they both ignored her.

Andrea narrowed her eyes at Hope.

"She can handle it and you know it!" He growled.

"You have no idea what ..."

" no idea? You idiot! I am you!" Andrea screamed angrily.

How dumb could she be?

“I know everything you’re thinking and if you stick your head out of the sand for more than two seconds you will also know what I am thinking”

"You’re not me!" Hope clenched between her teeth.

She couldn't accept it. She just couldn't.

"Yes I am! Everything I've done is what you secretly wanted to do, but didn't have the guts to do it"

Josie swallowed hard as memories of what had just happened between her and Andrea flashed through her mind. If what Andrea was saying was true ...

“You try to ignore it, but every time she comes near you, you can feel it, don't you? You crave he..."

Before she could stop herself, Hope's hands closed on Andrea's shirt and lifted it so that it was facing her.

"Shut up." The words said with barely controlled fury.

"That's enough!" Josie screamed.

The two girls seemed to snap out of their confrontation with Josie's scream.

"Let her go" The brunette ordered.

Hope swallowed dryly, giving in and dropping her hands to her sides.

"I've had enough of your ridiculous fight." Turning to Hope, she added, “You don't want to tell me what's going on. fine! I don't want to know! "

Hope could see the hurt filtering through her angry words and she felt her heart sink into her stomach.

Josie felt her head was a mess, there was a lot to process, she had to escape. And that's what she did. Spinning on her heel, she stormed off. Hope was by her side in an instant.

"Josie ..."

She ignored her and kept walking quickly.

"Josie, where are you going?"

When she didn't respond, she was forced to grab her arm.

"Let me go, Hope!"

She wasn't kidding.

“I'm tired and sick of you two! I'm going to my room” She announced.

And with that she left the tribrid in the middle of the hall.


	9. Chapter 9

Andrea walked over to Hope to watch as Josie entered her room, followed by the sound of a door slamming shut.

"She's really mad" Andrea said the obvious.

She plopped down into one of the benches that are attached to the corridor wall.

"I can't say I blame her" She add shaking her head "I can't understand why you won’t just tell..."

"Shut up, just shut up," Hope warned.

Andrea raised her hands in surrender.

"So what are we going to do tonight?"

Hope didn't reply, her mind busy with every event that happened on this never ending night.

"Tomorrow, we'll talk to Aunt Freya," Hope said.

"say it again"

"She’ll probably know how to fix this"

"You’re kidding, right?" Andrea asked forcing a smile.

"I'm not, we’ve got to fix this"

"Forget it" Andrea paused before saying quite naturally. "I don't want to talk to her"

"Andrea, we don't know what happened"

"I don't care, I don't want to talk to a person who clearly doesn't care about us and is living happily with her wife and son, while we are here forgotten." Andrea crossed her arms over her chest and directed her gaze towards Josie’s room door.

"Hey, we can't just…" Hope's back tensed and she felt a soft flutter in her stomach, her eyes following Andrea's distant gaze. "What are you doing?"

"I got lost in my imagination" Andrea smiled wickedly.

Hope was able to breathe a little easier now that she had gained Andrea's attention.

"I think we’re still connected"

Andrea's eyebrow shot up.

"When you were ..." Hope ignored the taste of bile in her mouth at the recollection as she continued "with Josie ..."

"yes…?"

"I could feel what you were feeling"

"You're kidding," Andrea scoffed incredulously.

"No ..." Hope growled "I guess it's only really strong feelings or something, because the only time it happened was ..." Hope trailed off.

"Interesting, do you think it goes both ways?" Andrea asked.

"what do you mean?"

"If you get an itch, do I get the urge to scratch it?" Andrea smiled.

"I don’t know"

"Sure, because good old Hope Mikaelson doesn’t get itches" Andrea ridiculed her.

Hope just looked at her in annoyance.

"Tomorrow we’ll talk to Aunt Freya"

"Like the hell we do," Andrea said as she got up from the bench and walked to Hope's room.

"Andrea ..."

“I don't care; I'll take a bath. Don't bother me” she said before disappearing into the room.

Hope was left alone in the hallway again, she didn't want to go back to her room and was still worried about Josie.

She looks toward the door to the twins' room.

_Fuck it, if she wants to yell at me, it’s ok but I want to know if she's okay._

She walked determinedly to the door, tapped the wood softly, waiting for Josie to respond.

After a time, which felt too long for her, Josie opened the door.

Hope had a guilty expression on her face. Neither spoke and Josie wouldn’t be the first to break that silence.

"I'm sorry" Hope's guilty voice echoed into the silence.

"Hope ..."

"I'm sorry for everything we've put you through" she apologized "Josie ... I ..." She couldn't finish when a wave of pleasure hit her, causing her mouth to open gasping for air.

The gasp caught Josie's attention making her frown.

"you're good?"

I cannot believe this!

"Andrea!" she screams inwardly.

She didn't need to be in the bathroom to know what she was doing.

Hope took a deep breath in a pathetic attempt to push back the overwhelming wave of bliss.

Josie closed the door and walked over to Hope.

_Don't get any closer… don't… please._

Hope closed her eyes, knowing they were glowing deep gold. She opened her mouth in a frustrated attempt to speak, but the words caught in her throat. Josie was so close and had a hand on her shoulder.

_God, please don't touch me._

Her smell… it was driving her crazy.

Josie worried. Hope didn't look good. Her face was rapidly turning a deep shade of red.

Instinctively, Josie touched her forehead.

"Hope, you’re burning!"

"I'm fine" she could barely pronounce.

She was going to kill Andrea.

"You don't look good," Josie pointed out.

Hope's vision blurred around Josie, she was all she could see.

The tribrid gulped as Josie's hands cupped her face and forced her to look at her.

"Hope, what's going on? You're scaring me” fear was heard in her voice, showing that she wasn’t aware of Hope's shameful condition.

Her concerned tone dug her in, filling her mind with memories of how sweet and caring the brunette was.

Josie's thumb absently brushed her cheek, causing her eyelids to close.

"Josie ... please ..." she implored desperately trying to control the urge to kiss her.

Hope slowly opened her eyes and Josie froze as she recognized the restrained lust in her golden eyes.

"Hope ..." she choked, her heart stopping when Hope's gaze fell on her lips.

Josie held her breath, watching Hope’s silent struggle.

She was so close…the frenzied tempo of her heartbeat was hammering in Hope’s ears… her pouty mouth…

“Hope…”

The name had barely left her parted lips when Hope’s hand reached for her hip and roughly tugged at it. Josie stumbled boneless into her chest.

She drew a soft gasp just before Hope’s mouth hungrily claimed hers.


	10. Chapter 10

Josie's shaking hands fell lazily from her face to Hope's shoulders and she let out a groan against the tribrid’s mouth.

She was kissing Josie and Hope couldn't believe what she was doing.

The brunette's scent was intoxicating and the way her fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt only made her grip her hips tighter and pull her against her chest.

Her mouth moved frantically against Josie's, tugging at her lips, urging, sucking at them until she responded to her touch with the same fervour.

Hope gasped for air and Josie took the opportunity to slide her tongue inside. The tribrid felt her eyes burn under her closed lids at the overwhelming sensation of Josie's tongue against hers.

Hope could feel it coming… she had to stop… she had to stop before…

Then Josie let out the sexiest moan and ...

 _Too late!_ She realized in a panic as a final wave of pleasure rushed through her and washed over her body.

Her breath caught in her throat, every muscle tensing as she surrendered to the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced.

Josie felt Hope stiffen against her, a deep, throaty gasp escaping her parted lips.

The brunette pulled back in a daze to see the tribrid. her breathing was frenzied and uneven, like hers.

Hope opened her eyes in shock when she finally come down from her heightened state of bliss.

"Josie ..." her name barely comprehensible when she spoke it.

_Had she just ...?_

She had to get out of there. Now!

"I… I, I have to go," Hope stuttered before running off in the direction of her room.

Josie stood in the middle of the corridor. her mind? Total anarchy.

Hope closed the door behind her and leaned against it with her eyes closed.

How could this happen? How could she have let things get out of hand? But it had felt so perfect, so ...

"what happened?" asked Andrea standing in the doorway of the bathroom with wet hair and wearing nothing else but a black lace bra and black jeans.

Hope walked to the bathroom.

"Get out" she ordered.

"what did you do?" Andrea demanded.

"Get out," Hope roared, grabbing Andrea's shirt and boots, pushing them against her chest and literally shoving her out of the bathroom.

Josie knocked on Hope's bedroom door and walked in.

She ignored the renewed flash of lust at the sight of her, half naked, wet and walking barefoot towards her.

She felt her cheeks flush under her curious gaze.

The way Josie struggled not to gasp, her heart pounding, her swollen and crimson lips left little doubt about what had happened.

Andrea could feel a spark of jealousy making her stomach churn and her hands clench into fists.

"I guess the honourable girl gets itches after all" her tone was callous and bitter as she forced a smile "and from your looks, she managed to scratch it"

Josie looked at her in anger and confusion. It was disconcerting and exhausting that the girl she wanted and the girl she hated so much right now, shared the same face, the same body and voice. _God!_ Even the same smell she noticed when Andrea approached.

"I don't have time for this," Josie said trying to walk to the bathroom, but Andrea got in her way.

She looked at her and Andrea just smiled back.

"What did the wonder girl do?"

"it's none of your business. Now move, I need to talk to Hope "

“Why talk to her? I'm here” Andrea tried to keep calm and collected, but inside her blood boiled with rage.

"Because I want to talk to Hope, not you!" the brunette grunted in response, but Andrea could hear the effect it had on her in the frantic beat of her heart.

That gave her renewed confidence.

"You don't want Hope"

She leaned closer and Josie placed her hand on her collarbone to keep her at bay.

"How do you know what I want?"

"Because I know you ..." She tilts her head to the side before whispering her name "Josette"

Josie had to avoid swallowing when she felt a lump in her throat, heat moving from her stomach to her core.

_Why did she have to look exactly like her?_

"I know what you crave ... what you secretly dream about, all those little fantasies that keep you awake at night ... you want me" her nostrils flared as she got closer to Josie "I can smell it on you"

Not letting herself get rattled by her, Josie matched her look with pride and controlled outrage.

"It's not you I want," she said coldly.

The brunette could swear she saw a flash of gold for a second. Andrea’s jaw clenched.

"Love ... I'm Hope" Andrea growled.

Josie didn't back down. She never did and it only made Andrea want her more.

"No, you are not" she spat "Hope is good, righteous, honourable ... and you? You're a spoiled brat, you're just a speck, an arrogant little fragment of her” With that, Josie pushed her aside, leaving her stunned and speechless for once.

However, it didn't last long.

Before Josie knew it, Andrea was in front of her again.

"Do you think you know her? she won't even tell you what she is hidden "

"I already know"

Andrea frowned.

"she told you?"

"No, I figured it out"

She looked at her raising an eyebrow.

"Did you figured it out? Love, I don't think so "

"I know she likes me"

Josie watched as she visibly relaxed, a terrifying smile spread across her mouth.

"What?" demanded.

"Do you think Hope likes you?" Andrea laughed.

"I know she is"

"Let me guess, did you come to this brilliant conclusion because she kisses you?" she scoffed. That they liked Josie was an euphemism, she was their mate, she was made for them, their always and forever. Hope was just in denial, she wasn't.

"Yes" the brunette tried to hide her nervousness.

"Well, I guess you discovered the big secret" she teased as she began to circle her. "The perfect, righteous and honourable Hope would be incapable of fooling you and keeping even greater information"

"You're lying" She accuse her.

Andrea just narrowed her eyes and Josie knew she wasn't lying. She was enjoying this too much for it to be a lie.

"Now tell me, do you really think Hope is honest and moral or would you like to reconsider that statement?" Andrea's voice was caustic.

Josie spun around at the sound of the bathroom door opening. Hope came out wearing a dark blue bathrobe, she was freshly bathed.

The brunette walked towards her.

"What are you hiding from me?"

Hope was taken by surprise. her gaze alternated between a livid Josie and a smiling Andrea.

"what?"

"Are you hiding something important from me?"

Hope didn't have to say anything. Her expression was enough to confirm Andrea's story.

Josie's open hand came out of nowhere to connect with the tribrid's cheek before leaving the room.

After a few moments of desperation, Hope looked at Andrea.

"Why did you do it?"

"It was about time she realised that we are not that perfect" Andrea replied indifferently.

Hope roared ready to pounce on Andrea, but she was quicker and left the room at full speed.


	11. Chapter 11

She closed her eyes for a moment allowing her heartbeat to synchronize with the soft beat of the music. She waited that serenity would spread through her.

A pair of disapproving brown eyes flashed in her mind and she felt anger bubbling back to the surface.

_Who did she think she was?_

She snapped her eyes open and scanned the crowded club.

The floor was cramped with young, eager bodies swaying to the beat of the music, and she caught a few glances darted in her direction.

For some reason, instead of helping her bruised ego, they seemed to make her stomach churn in revulsion.

None of them measured up to her.

Her, again! She was plaguing her mind.

The growl rumbled in her chest.

"Can I offer you something?" asked the waiter.

"Bourbon"

The man nodded and poured her the drink.

Andrea leaned against the bar looking at the dance floor, it wasn't long until someone approached, they didn't even have time to speak before she said:

"Not interested"

Unconsciously, she began a not-so-random appraisal of the women in the club.

Too short, too skinny, too brunette, not brunette enough.

_Why did they all look identical to her?_

She grabbed her glass, sipping its contents at once, set down a 100 bill and prepared to leave.

There were more places in Richmond, maybe in another club she would find what she was looking for.

She gave the crowd one last annoyed look and that's when she saw her.

She was tall, slender, and with glossy chocolate-coloured hair that fell to her shoulders, which were exposed by the blouse she was wearing. Under the neon lights, she looked like her.

_Nice legs._

She might do.

Andrea walked over to her. The girl was surprised when at her dance she bumped into her. The girl stopped her dance, and looked at Andrea from head to toe.

_Blue eyes, wrong colour._

Well, she wasn't planning on looking into her eyes, so she dismissed that particular imperfection in her appearance, so she danced next to her.

The girl seemed pleased with what she saw because a sly smile spread across her lips as she leaned in to speak into her ear.

"Hey"

"Hey" Andrea responded by wrapping an arm around her waist and roughly yanking her against her.

The girl didn’t protest, rather the opposite, she tightened more until Andrea could feel every curve of her body.

They danced, their hips moving along with the beat. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her chocolate curls.

_Wrong scent._

Anger surged when she realized what her wolf was demanding of her.

_Why couldn't she get her out of her head, damn it?_

Her hand grabbed the girl who was moving against her from behind her neck, meeting her lips with hers in a pathetic attempt to push back the annoying thought.

Her lips were numb and indifferent, her tongue invaded her mouth, demanding a response. After a moment the girl pleased her.

"Josie," she called for the third time, her forehead leaning against the door.

The door opened to reveal an annoyed Lizzie Saltzman.

"What do you want dog?"

"I want to talk to Josie"

"She clearly doesn't want to talk to you, mutt, so why don't you go and bother someone else?" the blonde asked.

"I'm not leaving until I talk to her, Lizzie"

She could hear an angry Josie pacing the room, she was furious. Hope had to fix this.

"Okay, I'll give you a few minutes, I'll go down to the kitchen for a bottle of water and hope I won't see you when I get back, right?"

The tribrid nodded.

Lizzie walked out into the kitchen leaving the door open.

Hope entered the room, where Josie was waiting for her with a glare full of fury.

"We need to talk," Hope said.

"Now you want to talk?"

"I…"

"Save it, Hope" Josie raised her hand to stop her "just go"

"but…"

"I don't want to talk to you, go!" Josie ordered.

"we need…"

"What we need is for you to get out of this room," she interrupted.

Josie pushed her away, but Hope didn't move.

"I'm not going to leave you alone"

Josie crossed her arms and gave her a death glare.

"She ... could come back," Hope explained.

Hope knew Andrea well enough to know that she wasn't going to give up on Josie.

"I don't need a babysitter, but if you're so worried, Lizzie will be with me."

"How was she the first time? I don't think so; I'm not leaving” said Hope.

"Oh yes you are." Josie tried to push her once more, but Hope grabbed her wrists.

They both gulped at the instant tension caused by the innocent touch.

The wave of pleasure hit Andrea, growling against the unknown girl's mouth.

The girl tried to match the fierceness with which Andrea kissed her.

Suddenly she pulled away, her hand grabbing her wrist as she pulled them out of the crowd, her commanding form easily pushed through the people and in less than a minute they were in the back alley.

The girl let out a cry of surprise when her back connected with the hard cement, her body trapped between the wall and Andrea as she assaulted her neck.

She gasped at the intensity of her desire. Her teeth scraped the tender skin, her lips sucked the column of her neck as if she was trying to mark her.

Josie expected Hope to drop her hands, but she didn't. They looked at each other in overwhelming silence.

The butterflies fluttered wildly in her stomach, sending a tingle to where her thighs met.

She could feel her resolve waver under the gaze of her ocean blue eyes.

She was supposed to be hurt and really angry, so why was is that all she could think about was throwing her arms around her neck and pulling her for a kiss?

Hope's attention fell to her lips.

 _Oh no good!_ Josie's brain screamed angrily _. You are very, very angry! Scowl, just scowl, do something!_

Her thumb involuntarily rubbed against her wrist and she could barely contain a moan.

Hope could feel Josie's racing pulse under her thumb and it sent a blast of electricity down her spine.

She tried to fight her, ignore her, but she couldn't deny the sensation that ran through her body, making her tense against the body of the stranger who was pressing against the wall.

She was with Hope, she knew it.

_It's not you I want._

Enraged, Andrea grabbed the girl by the thighs and with a quick movement had her leaning against the wall, her legs wrapped around her waist.

She pushed her hips against hers, her mouth leaving her throat to claim her lips with another kiss.

_You’re a spoiled brat._

She needed to forget.

Hope took a step, closing the distance between them.

She kept looking at Josie's mouth, as if captivated by it.

"Wha ..." Josie cleared her throat and tried again when she failed her first attempt to speak "what are you doing?"

Hope's eyes met hers.

 _Troubles! She was in serious troubles_.

"I don't know," Hope answered honestly.

She was going on instinct, even though her mind told her it was wrong, that they shouldn't be doing this, but every inch of her urged her on.

_Kiss her_

Andrea could feel the tension building inside her and she knew none of it was coming from the body that was currently moving against her.

It came from Hope… and considering the strength of the pleasure it could only mean that she was with her… Josie.

Andrea roared, pushing herself off the wall.

She barely noticed the girl's scream as she hit the ground. She quickly got to her feet.

_Hope is good, righteous and honourable._

"what the hell is wrong with you?" the girl demanded, but faltered in her angry protest when she saw her going around in circles, holding her head in her hands, muttering something unintelligible under her breath.

This girl was crazy.

_You're just a speck, an arrogant little fragment of her._

"I'll show you who’s ..." she stopped rambling when she noticed that the girl was looking at her strangely "get out of here!" scream.

She didn't have to tell her twice.

Now alone in the alley, Andrea ran a shaking hand through her hair.

Hope ...

She hated who she was. She was weak and pathetic. Always feeling guilty, so miserably guilty and responsible for everything. And that need not to accept what she was and who she was. Pretend she wasn’t better than all of them, try to fit in. She hated being like that and knowing that she preferred that over her only made her ...

Her fist furiously connected with the nearby garbage can, opening a crack in it.

Josie jumped back when Hope got too close, causing the tribrid to freeze back to reality.

"Wait" Josie's voice was shaky and unconvincing.

She needed to regain control of the situation.

"you're lying to me"

_That's it, just find the anger._

"I'm trying to protect you"

"I don't need to be protected"

"I beg to differ, but you have a magnet for problems and I care about you" She looks at her with puppy eyes.

_Ignore the puppy eyes, they have no effect on you. You are angry!_

"Josie ... I"

If she kept looking at her like that, she was going to cave in and who knew what could happen, especially considering they were in a room that conveniently had two beds.

"out!" Josie ordered, pushing her towards the exit and this time Hope backed into the hallway, the door slammed in her face.

Josie let out a long breath. That had been hard.

With great regret Hope relented and dragged herself into her room.


	12. Chapter 12

Hope shifted on the bed for the umpteenth time, dropped the pillow, opened one eye, and checked the clock.

It was a quarter past nine in the morning. It was official. she spent the entire night or what was left of it tossing and turning on the bed, she thanked any divinity for being on spring break and she didn’t have to go to class.

She sat up and ran her hand through her hair.

Everything was a disaster.

Andrea wasn't there, she could bet she was somewhere causing trouble, and yet all she could focus on was the steady heartbeat coming from the twins' room two doors from hers.

When had this happened? When had Josie become the centre of her universe? She knew the answer, but was in denial.

Then she hears the door opening, Josie was awake.

Hope jumped up of bed and practically ran to the door.

Their eyes met for a few seconds before Josie turned her back on her and walked to the bathroom.

_Yep, she was still mad._

Although by the dark circles under her eyes, she could tell that she hadn't slept much either.

Josie looked at her pale face and tired eyes in the bathroom mirror. She hadn't been able to sleep.

_How could she when every time she closed her eyes all she could see was Hope's face?_

She still couldn't believe it, but the old crush she had for Hope had returned without her realizing it and now it was worse than before.

She wanted it to be fleeting and disappear as it had years ago.

The brunette shook her head, running her hands through her hair and splashing water on her face.

"It's just hormones" she told the girl in the mirror.

She’d to get on with her life and wait for it to pass.

She left the bathroom and went to the kitchen, where Hope was making breakfast.

She looked at her and Josie's stomach jumped.

_Stupid hormones_

"Good morning," Hope greeted weakly, a guilty expression on her face.

"Good morning" Josie replied in the most offhandedly way she could, considering the huge lump in her throat every time she looked up at her.

"Do you want eggs?"

She wanted to take the opportunity to show her that she was still in the dog house, but the smell coming from the pan was too tempting.

"sure, why not? I like them…"

"Scrambled," Hope interrupted before she had a chance to finish. "I know how you like eggs, Josie" she added, looking at her shyly and the brunette melted, a feeling of tenderness washed over her and made it difficult not to smile.

 _I'm not moved, just surprised_. She scolded herself, as Hope placed the plate in front of her.

She takes a toast and have some egg with it.

Hope watched the action and heard a moan come from Josie's mouth as the taste hit her taste buds.

"good?" she asked with a small smile on her face.

"Okay," Josie shrugged, not looking up from the food.

They ate in awkward silence, the discomfort increasing whenever their gazes met.

The discomfort faded a bit when Lizzie entered the kitchen.

"And where is the evil twin?" the blonde asked. She frowned when she felt instant tension between Josie and Hope at the mention of Andrea.

"She's missing," Josie finally answered.

Lizzie couldn't hide her expression of surprise.

she takes advantage when Josie walked away from them to get her a plate for breakfast.

"How is she missing?" she asks Hope in a low voice.

Hope sighed, she really didn't want to explain what happened.

"It's a long story, Lizzie"

"Does she have all your powers?" the blonde asked.

Hope nodded in defeat.

“So what the hell are you doing here? She can be anywhere; She could already be on her way to Timbuktu "

"I get feeling she won't get too far from Mystic Falls"

Lizzie frowned.

"Let's say she has a predilection for Virginia’s air"

That reply only served to confuse Lizzie further. Hope gave up.

"Andrea has a thing for Josie"

"excuse me? Can you repeat that?"

"It seems that she has developed ... an obsession for her" she clarified trying to avoid the blonde's gaze.

"For Josie? What about the bird boy? "

Hope shrugged innocently. She could see the gears turning behind Lizzie's eyes. She decided that it was better to cut that thought process short before the blonde jumped to a ridiculous conclusion.

"Look, I wanted to talk to you about it" she approached and lowered her voice "I need your help to keep her away from Josie"

"Keep your evil doppelganger away from my dear sister?"

"Yes, I need to talk to your dad and my aunt Freya, let's see who can help me fix this and I can't keep an eye on Josie while I do that"

"What makes you so sure she's going after Josie?"

"Trust me, Lizzie. She's after her and I need you to be there,” Hope replied.

"Am I allowed to use force?" Lizzie asked hopefully, she had always wanted to attack Hope.

"Do whatever it takes" Hope gave her the green light.

"Perfect" said the blonde with an evil smile on her face.

Hope gave her a brief smile.

"Here you go," Josie said, handing her sister a plate of scrambled eggs.

Hope apologized and said she needed to speak to Alaric. She received a cold goodbye from Josie and a smile from Lizzie.

"Look after her" she murmured to Lizzie as she passed her.

"Don't worry, I've got you covered," Lizzie assured her.

She ran to her room and tried to cast an astral projection spell, but she only succeeded on her third attempt, after speaking briefly with her aunt Freya, she had a strange feeling of fatigue.

Something was wrong.


	13. Chapter 13

A few hours later Hope was in Alaric's office, apparently her aunt Freya and Alaric had found something about her condition. She watched as the director and her aunt's astral projection spoke in front of her.

"The monster that attacked you is a kind of demon, like a succubus, but it doesn’t feed on sexual energy but on emotional energy, feelings, thoughts, that kind of thing," the man explained.

"The only problem here is that she is unable to take over supernatural minds unless they allow her access" said her aunt Freya.

The memory of Josie's possessed body pressing against hers, urging her to give in, flashed through her mind. It had been difficult not to _allow her access_.

“While I was fighting her… I…” She struggled to find the words to describe what happened “I, I… she was inside the body of…” she stuttered.

"Who was it inside?" Freya asked.

"She was inside Josie," Alaric replied for Hope.

The answer seemed to satisfy Freya, who just kept silent.

It was clear that she would have to be more open to find a solution to her problem. She took a deep breath and gathering enough courage to continue speaking.

"We were ... touching ..."

God, this was embarrassing.

“I felt like…Like I being was taking over… and then I used a spell. The next thing I know is that the monster was gone and there is ... a replica of me next to me” she summarized.

"Well, apparently you let it merge with a part of you" said Frey in a deep voice "when you used the spell it clung to a part of you and separated it from you"

Well that made sense, very Mystic Falls style.

"You shouldn't have let that monster get near you, Hope," Alaric said.

"I didn’t know…"

"It’s because of this type of thing that I always tell you to wait for reinforcements and don’t try to do the things yourself" It was not an accusation, but a declared fact what Alaric said.

"You must find a way to reconnect with your other half or you will die," Freya said.

"what?" her heart skipped a beat.

“You aren’t complete and you cannot exist if you aren’t complete. It will slowly weaken you until you both disappear "Freya said calmly but her eyes reflected her concern.

So that was why she had felt exhausted.

"How can I fix all this?" Hope asked, pushing back the feeling of failure and guilt that rise in her chest.

"We can't help you with this, Honey" said Freya "the key to your problem lies within you, the monster merged with a part of you that you don’t recognize as yours. You must find what you share in common, what connects you, you must accept her as part of you "

Andrea looked at her hand in surprise, after taking out her frustration against a tree, she felt something. It wasn't exactly pain… maybe a slight twinge. She wasn’t sure. What she knew is that it was something new and she didn't like it.

She flexes her fingers. No, they definitely didn't hurt, nor were they numb, but ...

She shook her hand and kept walking.

She was starving.

"I'm full," Josie said, dropping against her bed, putting the pizza box aside.

Hope probably didn't like veggie pizza, being a wolf and her taste for meat.

_Forget about her!_

"you're good?" Lizzie asked seeing the frown on her sister's face.

"Yeah, I just think I ate too much," Josie lied.

"You didn't eat that much" Lizzie said, she ate most of the pizza.

"I guess I wasn't that hungry, I had eggs and toast for breakfast"

"Right, they came out really good," agreed Lizzie remembering breakfast.

"Hope, she made breakfast," Josie clarified.

"Oh ... so, Hope cooked for you?"

Hope had never cooked for anyone, not even the Hobbit, Lizzie recalled.

"of course not!"

Lizzie looked at her sister too defensively.

"Hope was making her breakfast and she has some left ..." she began to explain quickly.

"Josie ..."

Oh no. The brunette recognized that tone of voice, Lizzie was about to question her to death.

"I have to go" the brunette got out of bed and ran out before Lizzie could stop her.

"damn!" the blonde growled, she had promised Hope she wouldn't let Josie out of her sight.

Lizzie picked up her phone and dialled the tribrid. She didn’t answer.

_We have a problem_ ; she wrote before going to find her sister.

In disgust, Andrea tossed the toast onto the plate.

"everything is fine?" the waitress asked.

Andrea just looked at her with angry eyes and the waitress walked away to serve the other customers.

Her eyes swept the entire restaurant and the people entering.

Why couldn't she get Josie out of her head?

Wherever she looked, remind her of her.

Her eyelids closed, remembering that kiss in the middle of the hall, she struggled, but she could feel her eagerness to just give into her.

Josie had wanted her. She had felt it.

_You are a speck, an arrogant little fragment of her._

Her eyes snapped open.

It had hurt so bad when she said it the first time, except this time she didn't have the anger masking the suffocating pain it caused her.

_It's not you I want._

She had spat at her.

Anger built up inside her, racing her heartbeat.

It wasn't her that she wanted, it was Hope.

Suddenly she stood up, pulling some bills out of her pocket. Throwing them on the table.

Josie wanted Hope? So that's what she was going to get.

Looking down at herself, she notices the leather jacket, black T-shirt, and black jeans. That wouldn't do.

She needed to change her image.


	14. Chapter 14

Andrea froze when she heard the bedroom door opening, she discarded the red v-shirt and opened the bathroom door a little.

Her heart stopped when she saw the brunette against the bedroom door.

_What was Josie doing here?_

Taking a deep breath, trying to control the chaos that broke out in her guts and quickly slipped on the v-shirt.

She checked her reflection in the mirror, a carbon copy of Hope Mikaelson.

A sly smirk curled her lips.

It was show time.

Josie closed the door behind her, hoping her sister wouldn't find her in Hope's room. She takes a deep breath when she hears the bathroom door opening.

"Oh, you're here," she told the tribrid offhandedly, no evidence of her sudden uneasiness she felt filtering into her dismissive tone. "I thought you had things to do"

She didn't even give her a chance to reply.

"Sorry to enter your room, but Lizzie is being annoying today and I needed a place to hide."

"No problem," Andrea said calmly.

Josie didn't say another word.

_Apparently Josie and Hope were still at odds with each other_ , Andrea thought.

"Well, I think it’s better that I go and leave you alone ..."

The tribrid's hand was on her arm.

That was a nasty little habit of hers.

Putting on her best annoyed expression, she faced the tribrid.

"Josie ..."

The tribrid’s fingers still clung to her skin and her heartbeat was racing.

Despite her efforts her effect on the brunette didn’t go unnoticed, but instead of the usual boast of pride, Andrea felt her heart race to match her rhythm.

She swallowed hard.

She seemed to become more and more common, now every time she was around Josie, her usual confidence wavered and she’d regress to a bumbling idiot. Like Hope.

Well, this would help with her performance, so she embraced the weakening sensation.

"I didn't mean to hurt you" said Andrea, she was being honest. Her apology was for her behaviour towards her and the things she said to her. She had been insensitive.

"Okay, it wasn't a big deal Hope, I just don't like you keeping things hidden from me"

_Oh that's what it was, she was still mad at what Hope was keeping from her._

"I'm sorry ..." she interrupted her.

Andrea looked at her with Hope's famous puppy eyes look… she could see her resolve falter.

Josie pulled away from her hold. Running her hand through her hair. She sighed.

"okay"

Hope's eyes lit up as she smiled and Josie felt her knees buckle a little.

_Distance_. She needed to put some distance between them. And so she did.

As casually as she could, she walked over to Hope's bed and sat down.

"So ... did you have any luck tracking down Andrea?" she asked when the silence became too noticeable.

Andrea's heart took an unexpected turn inside her. Josie was asking about her!

She caught herself just in time before a smile took over her mouth and she frowned deeply.

"Oh ... she ..." she muttered disdainfully. "No, she's probably out there somewhere, being ...".

What would Hope say?

"Evil ... and doing bad things"

_That had sounded lame enough, right?_

Josie paused for a second. She’d picked up on something, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She ignored her instincts.

"Hope, you shouldn't talk about her that way."

Her heart took another turn.

"why not?" She asks, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

_Don't smile_ , she ordered herself _. Just looks guilty and distressed. And broody ... very broody_.

"because it's you. Or at least a part of you "

_God, this is so confusing!_ Josie thought.

"I'm not like her!" she quickly responded defensively.

Memories of the past 24 hours flashed through her mind.

_You two are more alike than you think._

Andrea's blood began to boil. How could she think that?

"she is…” _weak_. She stopped.

She had to remember that she was pretending to be Hope. Hope didn't get angry and even if she did, she always kept her anger controlled.

"... evil"

Josie laughed.

"She's not evil, she's just ..." she chose her words "... a little unrestrained"

She liked that, and this time she couldn't stop the smile on her lips, or the sparkle in her eyes.

Luckily Josie was busy looking at her shoes to pay attention.

When she looks up, Andrea grimaced.

"unrestrained?" She asks.

"Yes ... but deep down inside she’s ..." Josie looked into her eyes and wrinkled her nose "mush, just like you"

Andrea's eyes widened in disbelief.

_I'm not mush_ , she screams in her thoughts.

“She’s not mush…she’s…”

What would the wonder girl say?

"She's… conceited and… egotistical" Andrea said.

“Oh, she’s got a big ego, I’ll give you that. But it’s all a façade "

"A façade?"

"Yep, you bottle up everything, you use repression, she uses scorn. She detached herself, ridicules things. Pretends they don't bother her. Come to think about it that’s form of repression too. So I guess you guys have that in common too,” she theorized.

"We have nothing in common"

Josie instantly stood up and looked into her eyes.

"Oh, really? I seem to recall a couple of things "

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.

Her sudden sincerity took Andrea by surprise. it was clear what she was referring about: They’re shared predilection for her.

Josie's gaze bounced off every available surfaces, anywhere was fine as long as it wasn't the tribrid's face.

She couldn't believe she had hinted at that. perhaps she hadn't picked up on it. The tribrid was kind of slow when it came to those things. Then she looks at her.

Nope, she got it. Excellent! Now what? run?

Her eyes dropped to the ground and she quickly walked to the door.

"Well, I hope you have better luck to find her. I really should go, leave you alone ... you must be very busy and all that ... "

Josie hesitated a bit when she looked up to find her standing in her path.

_She wasn’t going to let that one slide, was she?_

Andrea's heart was racing; her mind was a mess. what she’d said about her ... the way she’d spoken ... without a trace of contempt or condemnation. She really believed she wasn’t evil incarnate ... that she could be ... good. Not weak but good.

It made her feel… accepted.

"Josie ..."

_Dammit! Why did she have to say her name like that?_

Josie remained paralyzed as she closed the distance between them, allowed her hand to take a lock of her loose hair and tuck it behind her ear.

Her eyes closed for a second as she leaned into her touch.

"You're right" her voice was strained "we do have at least one thing in common ... the way we feel ..."

Her eyes widened and the tribrid's face was an inch from her.

"about you"

Josie's breath hitched at the look of those ocean blue eyes. Her mind went blank and she could hear her heart hammering loudly in her ears.

Of their own accord her hands come up to tug at her v-shirt and pull her in for a kiss.

In the corridors of the school, Hope doubled over at the intense surge of pleasure that washed over her body.

_Oh god, no_


	15. Chapter 15

Andrea's arm curved around Josie's waist and pulled her into her body as her free hand cupped her cheek and tilted her head back so she could have better access to her mouth.

Not satisfied with her closeness, she tightened her hold and the brunette exhaled sharply when her feet left the floor and she was left dangling, close to her body.

Hope took her cell phone; her blurred vision made it difficult to find the number. After a few moments she was able to make the call.

"Lizzie ..." she choked.

"Hope? I've been trying to reach you ..."

"Where is Josie?" She cut her off, fighting to control her breathing.

"That's why I was trying to call you, but I guess you're too busy playing hero"

"Where is she?" It came out as a growl.

"Hope, are you okay? '" The alarmed blonde asked.

"Josie ..." she insisted, ignoring her question. It was getting harder and harder to think, let alone speak. "Is she with you?"

"No," Lizzie replied guiltily. "I tried to stop her, but she ran away ..."

"Ah!" She gasped when a new wave of heat hit her. "Lizzie ..." she warned.

The blonde was about to say something, but all she heard was the annoying beep announcing that Hope dropped the call.

Josie was vaguely aware of her surroundings. Somehow, the tribrid without her noticing, between greedy kisses, she had managed to haul her across the room and drop her on the desk, where she was currently sitting, with her legs parted to accommodate her between her thighs.

One hand gripped her right hip, bringing her as close to her as possible, while the other remained on the back of her neck, arching her toward her so her lips and teeth could drag along the column of her throat, nibbling and sucking there.

Josie could feel her inhaling sharply.

Her scent was intoxicating, urging her on.

Andrea pressed against her. Rubbing the right spot and causing a powerful electric discharge that made her moan.

"Hope ..."

Josie needed to kiss her again, but she was too lost to hear her, so she fisted her shaky fingers into her hair and pulled her away from her neck.

The tribrid was about to complain, but any complaint was muffled by a mouth on hers.

As their tongues fought relentlessly, Josie’s hands lifted the end of Andrea’s shirt, hastily pulling her out of the garment until it dropped to the floor.

The sound of suction merged with their combined moans and mewls, echoing loudly in the silent room.

Josie's hand slid down her powerful abdominal muscles, causing them to contract as her nails dragged along Andrea’s stomach, pressing her body further against her.

The rational part of her brain yelled at her to stop. She shouldn't be doing this. But Josie ignored it, letting her body take over.

She’d been craving this for far too long and there was no way she’d be able to stop herself, even if she’d wanted to.

They moved in unison, blindly pawing at each other, tugging at the annoying clothing that seemed too tight, suffocating.

_Off ... get everything off ... now!_

Josie tore her mouth from hers with a gasp and the tribrid trailed hungry kisses along her jaw line until she found her ear.

Hope could barely walk to her room and push the door open.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Andrea, her arms possessively tied around a moaning Josie. She was leaning against her desk, her thighs clinging to her waist, her hips undulated in a desperate attempt to increase friction.

Her eyes shot open when Andrea bit her earlobe causing a new wave of lust; warm liquid seeping between her thighs as Andrea rubbed against her harder.

She froze when, she caught a glimpse of ...

"Hope?"

She frowned in confusion.

_What she was…? Who was…?_

After a moment of shock, her hands gripped Andrea's shoulders and tried to push her away.

Her tongue circled the shell of her ear, playing with her earrings and her eyes rolled up, her mouth gaping as she panted uncontrollably, all her strength draining from her weakened arms.

"Hope ... wait ... oh my!" That felt ... "stop ..."

Andrea paused when in the middle of the onslaught of pleasure she felt a sting, a dull ache in her stomach. What was that?

Josie seized the opportunity and summoning all her strength and willpower, she pushed her away from her with a growl.

"Stop…"

Andrea raised an eyebrow at her and found her staring at a point over her right shoulder.

She followed her gaze to find Hope standing by the door.

"Great ..." She muttered taking a step back.

Josie's eyes bounced from one Hope to the other, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Which one was which?

The panic of uncertainty in Josie's eyes made Andrea's stomach crawl as she was reminding what she'd had to resort to make Josie surrender to her. The guilty expression on her face was all the confirmation she needed. Josie had never wanted her. She wanted Hope!

In an instant, anger took over her body and the mask of arrogance and chilling detachment reappeared on her face.

She focused on the girl by the door. Her eyes were glassy; the hint of betrayal and anger she found in her tearful gaze was weighed down by deep sorrow and pain.

When Josie looked back at the face she'd been kissing seconds before, all she found was a cold, distant look.

A pang of shame and regret took over her chest as she realized what had happened.

Andrea had pretended to be Hope. She had tricked her!

"Hope ... I-I ... I didn't ..." Josie stuttered nervously, jumping off the desk and coming to meet her, but Hope took a step back. "I can explain ..." She tried, but Hope just shook her head.

"You don't have to explain anything"

Josie's eyes widened at the icy tone.

"But I thought…"

"Whatever is going on between you two is none of my business." She announced nonchalantly, but hurt and controlled anger were evident in her voice.

"none of your business?!" Josie almost yelled.

_That was priceless!_

Andrea smirked and it took all of Hope's strength not to run across the room and hit her.

"I need to talk to her, if you don't mind."

"But…"

"Josie, go. You can talk to her later,” Hope said dismissively.

She couldn't look at her. She didn't know what she was capable of doing if she did.

Josie looked at her astonished. And then she heard a low laugh coming from behind her and she turned to pin Andrea down with a deadly glare that made her breath catch.

The foul taste of remorse burned her throat at the look Josie gave her: revulsion, contempt, and fury, all rolled up in one gut wrenching look.

She didn’t say anything. She just stormed out of the room leaving Andrea and Hope in deafening silence.

"Josie ..." Andrea started to follow her, but Hope's powerful grip on her arm stopped her. "Let me go" Andrea said threateningly.

"We need to talk"

Andrea pulled her arm away from Hope, but before she could move, Hope was in front of her

"Now!"

"Get out of my way," Andrea roared.

“You can go after her later. I'm sure she’ll ... "

Before she could finish her sentence, Hope was being barrelled down by a growling Andrea. The two of them crashed onto the floor with a thundering bang.

Josie stopped in her tracks at the booming noise from the Hope’s room.

They were going to kill each other.

"Let them!" She told herself as she resumed her walk, ignoring the clear sounds of fighting that reverberated loudly throughout the hall.

Her hand was on the handle of her bedroom door when she changed her mind and marched back to Hope's room.


	16. Chapter 16

Josie was ready to stomp back into the room and give those two a piece of her mind when she glanced through the half-open door. In less than a minute, Andrea and Hope had somehow managed to make it look like a hurricane had made its way through the room.

The desk was split in two; the drawers had fallen, their contents spilled onto the floor that was now covered with a variety of wood fragments, books and pencils.

Andrea was on the ground clutching Hope's arms that were pinning her down.

"Get off me" Andrea growled pushing Hope away.

Josie's hand instantly covered her mouth when she saw her being thrown across the room to crash onto the bed.

"Oh my God!" She said with fright, she froze when she saw Hope stand up effortlessly without a scratch and shake off the dust, she knew that was little that could harm Hope, but seeing her get up with such a strong blow as if nothing had happened still surprised her.

"You’re a coward"

Her gaze was redirected to Andrea, who was now tense in the middle of the room.

“You don't have the courage to be with her, but you won't let anyone get near her. Is that it? " She growled.

"You leave her out of this," Hope growled.

Josie's eyes darted from one to the other as they exchanged verbal jibes.

"I can’t. I won't, ” Andrea said challenging Hope with a look. “Unlike you, I know what I want. I love her and I'm not going to let her go "

Josie swallowed dryly at the intensity with which Andrea spoke of her.

She took a step forward over the rubble.

"I'm going to tell you the truth," Andrea announced.

Hope got in her way before she could blink.

"I can't let you do that."

Andrea narrowed her eyes at Hope.

"I'm telling her everything"

"Are you gonna waltz up to her and say hi, Josie. You knew that alpha wolves seem to have a mate, kind of like a soul mate, right? No? Great, because you're mine and you can't be with anyone but me." Hope tried to scoff, but her tone was plagued with dread.

Just outside the door, Josie's jaw dropped to the ground.

_What the fuck?_

"That sounds good". Andrea replied.

"You are kidding!"

Hope's heart raced as she examined her doppelganger. She wasn’t bluffing. She was going to do it. Panic gripped her.

"You can’t do that"

"Why not?" Andrea demanded stubbornly.

"Because you’ll putting her in danger, we’ve many enemies who would throw a party if they knew about her. We already lost our parents, I'm not going to put Josie in danger too"

"That's not the real reason and you know it." The accusation was clear in Andrea's voice. "We both know why you don't want to tell her"

"Because I want to keep her safe" Hope insisted on her lie.

"Wake up, Hope. I know what you're thinking, you can't lie to me "

The two of them were face to face, looking at each other.

"Say it" Andrea dared, but Hope remained silent.

When Andrea made a move to leave Hope, she snapped, raising her voice:

"ok, fine! Because she is the only one who doesn’t see me as a freak, as the mythical all powerful tribrid and I’m also afraid of hurt her, that she’ll leave like everyone else! I can't lose her too "

She swallowed dryly. The fear surfacing when she finally admitted it.

"She isn’t Landon, she would never leave you" Andrea provided the obvious.

"I know she isn't!" Hope grunted. “She isn’t afraid of me and doesn’t see me like a demigod or something. She just sees me, Hope Mikaelson, not the super powerful monster, just me. She-she treats me like I'm normal. The only time I feel normal is when I am around her. That's why I… ”She stopped just in time.

On the other side of the door, Josie held her breath.

She took a deep breath, her throat clenched at the prospect:

"If you tell her, everything will change"

Andrea looked at her in disgust.

"You're pathetic. Always so scared. Did you ever think that she might accept you? " Andrea sounded numb as she creaked. “No, you didn't, because you can't even accept yourself. You’re the one who thinks that you are a freak and that we would hurt her! And that's why you keep us away from her "

Hope's jaw clenched as the words struck a chord in her. She’d never wanted to admit it to herself. But it was true.

“When does it get through that thick skull of yours that you're different but you couldn't hurt her? We’re hers. It's time for you to grow up and face the truth! You disgust me ...” Andrea scoffed, turning her back on her counterpart.

She kicked a piece of wood with her boot as she paced the room.

"She feels it ... she knows we belong to her" She began in a low voice. "And she didn’t leave"

Her eyes returned to Hope.

"She asked you. You gave her a ridiculous excuse; She saw through your shit and just left her, she didn't push, not like the others. And she doesn't complain about all the secrets and lies ...” It was a clear jab to her relationship with Landon and his demands "She thought you would tell her when you were ready and let it go"

Andrea's harsh laugh echoed loudly in the shattered room.

"And you’re still wondering if she's the one?"

Josie could feel her heart pounding.

“You may have doubts. I don’t!" Her left eyebrow rose high on her forehead as she added: "I'm going after her."

"No, you’re not!" Hope grunted in response.

Andrea's lips twisted sideways in a smirk.

“You’re angry because she chose me over you. Josie is a woman, Hopey, and she doesn't need a pathetic bumbling girl by her side” She started to march toward the door, but Hope didn't move.

She remained in place, standing her grown as she scowled back at her:

"Yeah, she's way better off with an out-of-control sociopath."

Josie didn't even see Andrea move; the next thing she knew, she had her hand around Hope's throat and was hauling her until she was dangling from the tight grip.

She was about to intervene when she suddenly dropped her and both girls doubled over, panting for air.

"You can't ..." Hope coughed between gasps. "... you can't kill me"

Andrea just sneered at her struggling to catch her breath.

"We’re the same ..." cough "person ..." cough.

After a few seconds, both of them had regained their composure and were standing again.

“I can't kill you, okay. I'll stay with Josie and ... "

"You can’t!" Hope interrupted, fighting to keep the desperation in her tone. “Talk to Aunt Freya”

A growl escaped Andrea at the mention of her aunt.

"If we don't fix this, we're going to die" Hope announced grimly.

Andrea glared at Hope.

"You're lying"

“She said that we’ll slowly weaken until we die. I did an astral projection and I really ran out of energy "

Andrea remembered the incident with the trees, but decided to keep that information to herself. She didn't want to hear ramblings about the evil of using force.

"You're just trying to stop me from going to Josie." She tried.

"You don’t believe me? Go, ask for yourself "

Andrea seemed to struggle for a moment, wondering what to do.

"good. I will bite. " She finally agreed and Josie saw Hope back off.

Her breathing stopped when she realized that Andrea was leaving and was about to be caught.

Quickly, she walked to her room and hid behind her half-open door. Fortunately, the two of them were still too engrossed in their pissing contest to notice her quick escape.

"If you're lying ..." Andrea warned gravely.

"I'm not," Hope replied.

From her hiding place, Josie saw the door open and Andrea headed out to her father's office.

When she opened the door slightly, Hope was alone in the hall, hands buried in her front pockets with a defeated expression on her face. She waited until she returned to her room before leaving.

Her hand ran across the bridge of her nose before delving into her hair.

_Man ... if last night had seemed strange ...?_

Did Hope have a soulmate? And was she? why?

Her mind tried to make sense of everything she had just heard. The bits of information were merged with lost memories.

The strange fact of how Hope tensed around her lately, the way she looked at her, wacky excuses, the golden glow in her eyes when she watched her speak to someone else, it all flowed back to her ...

In a strange way ... it all made sense.

Hope let out a frustrated sigh when she finally realized the level of destruction her fight with Andrea left behind.

Alaric would kill her if he saw what had been done to her room.

Dropping her shoulders in defeat, she decided it was best if she started cleaning this up right away. In fact, it would help her to stop thinking about ... everything.

She needed to think. She needed to draw herself a warm bath and think ...

She started walking around the room with chaos in her head when she heard it.

"Josie ..."

She froze in mid stride.

_Oh my God, oh my God!_

After a second of hesitation, the brunette turned around.

'Hey!' She greeted with a plastic smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Hope's heart stopped when she saw her. Had she been there all the time?

_Oh God! Did she hear ...?_

"What ..." she cleared her throat. "What are you still doing here?"

_Eavesdropping?_ Her brain responded cheekily.

Josie looked at her, standing in the doorway, carrying large chunks of broken wood under each arm.

"I was ... um ..."

_Think! Think!_

"I was walking back into my room and then I thought I'd better go find Lizzie."

_Oh, I'm good!_ She mentally patted herself on the back.

She seemed to accept her excuse and the two of them just stood there, facing each other in awkward silence.

"So ... where is Andrea?" She blurted out.

She used the question as a way to break the disturbing stillness and to reinforce her lie. If she hadn't been there, it would be logical to ask about her whereabouts, right?

Hope, however, didn't see it that way; the green-eyed monster came to surround her as she remembered Josie panting, rubbing herself anxiously against Andrea, her eyes rolling back with pleasure.

"She’s not here" She replied dryly entering the room "Bye."

“Hey!” She quickly protested following her.

"Hope"

But she didn't listen to her as she picked up all the mess.

"Hope!"

"What?" She snorted letting the wood fall to the ground which made Josie jump.

"Do you mind losing the attitude?"

'What attitude?'

“The I'm better than you crap. I did nothing wrong!" the brunette was already very angry.

"I never said you did it."

"You may not have said it, but I can see it in your face," Josie accused.

"Well, I can't help the way my face looks" Hope replied picking up one of the larger pieces of wood. "Josie, I don't have time for this," she said dismissively, her eyes fixed on the floor as she gathered the pieces of wood together.

"What happened between Andrea and me ..."

"I don't want to know about that," Hope interrupted her.

She could barely keep her voice from rising when she felt the muscles in her neck tighten.

Every time she mentioned it, Hope saw the scene and it gave her stomach a spasm.

She was starting to get nervous. Josie was trying to explain it, but Hope just wouldn't let her.

"Well, I want to explain, damn it!" She stamped her foot stubbornly.

Her eyes went coldly to her. For a moment it reminded her of Andrea.

“I don't need you to explain. I got a pretty good picture of what happened "

She paced the space, picking up the pencils, moving her paint supplies from side to side, anything to keep herself busy so she didn't have to face her.

"Can you stop that for a second?" Josie demanded angrily.

“I need to clean up, Josie. Why don't you go look for Andrea? "

"That's it!" She snapped. "What the hell’s wrong with you?"

Hope was in front of her face, staring at her in the blink of an eye.

"What is wrong with me?! I'm not the one going around kissing a sociopath! "

Josie was not intimidated.

"Not today, at least!" She teased, matching her gaze.

"Josie, you don't want to do this right now," Hope warned her.

“Why not? It's about time you said whatever your keep bottling up inside you. At least let some of it out. Just say it!” She dared her.

"Josie ..." Her voice dropped an octave and sent a shiver through her.

But she stood firm and didn't back down.

"Say it!" She pushed at her, her fist hitting her collarbone.

"stop…"

"No, you’re going to say it!"

Her hand reached out to push her again and grabbed it with her own; her gaze now fixed on her.

"Why’d you kiss her?" It was a low growl.

She restrained herself from swallowing under the intensity of her eyes, but she couldn't keep her heart from racing into her throat.

When she didn't answer, she said it again:

"Why’d you kiss her, Josie?"

Another long pause stretched between them; increased tension.

"Why?"

Coming out of her paralyzing shock, she removed her hand from her and took a step back.

"Stop asking me that!"

“You’re the one who wanted to talk. Let's talk." She closed the distance between them with a step.

"Why…"

"Because I thought she was you!"

The words echoed in the silent space.

The two looked at each other with wide eyes. Hope's breath now came in shallow, urgent gasps as the wheels spun in her head.

For the first time, her mind seemed to register the v-shirt she had found amid the rubble on the kitchen floor.

Josie lowered her eyes and started walking.

“She came out of the bathroom and she was dressed like you and acting like you. So I assumed she was…” She looked up and swallowed. "…you."

Her pulse quickened and she had this strange feeling in her stomach that made it difficult for her to have a coherent train of thought.

"So ... you thought ..." Hope swallowed hard; her mouth suddenly dry. "That she was me ..."

"That's what I said!" Josie hissed defensively, her hands buried deep in the front pockets of her jeans, her shoulders together in a protective stance.

"... and you kissed her? "

God, this was awkward! And Josie was pretty sure that if she moved right now, she would stumble.

_Don’t look at me like that!_ _Don’t look at me like that!_ She pleaded with her in her thoughts.

"Thinking she was me ..."

"Yes, we have already established it!" She snapped.

Hope made a move toward her and Josie jumped back. As she had anticipated, her knees buckled under her and she stumbled a bit before regaining her composure.

Her eyes scrutinized her. She was squirming. Josie Saltzman was squirming and she was the cause of it.

The silence was overwhelming, she could hear every furious breath she took, every frantic heartbeat. She hated that Hope could do this to her. She was a nervous wreck. She needed to change the subject.

“So… um… where did Andrea go? Because you know, you shouldn't let her hang around. God knows what kind of trouble she could get into and ... "

And suddenly Hope was standing an inch from her and she couldn't breathe.

Her brain seemed to sink to a very basic level of thought processing.

_No breathing bad. Oxygen good. I need oxygen_

“Would you mind… uh… step out of my personal space for a second, Hope? You're hogging all the oxygen” She managed to say on a long exhale.

Awkwardly, she backed away, but only a few inches. She was just as nervous as Josie was.

"Better" She murmured.

And the silence returned ...

"Yes ... So ... Andrea? We should find her and ... um ... try to fix this” she waved her hand in a pathetic attempt to hide the fact that she was shaking.

"Oh yeah ... right." Hope sheepishly agreed.

Her head was still spinning from the surprising new information: Josie wanted to kiss her!

When she was heaving against Andrea, moaning… she thought it was her!

"Hmm ... Hope ... personal bubble ... oxygen hogging ..."

Her weak voice brought her back to reality.

Without realizing it, she had closed the gap between them.

"Right ... Right ..." she nodded emphatically, but didn’t move.

She neither.

"Hope, you’re not moving"

"I’m not?" Hope muttered.

"And now you're touching me." Her voice broke in mid-sentence.

Her eyes fell on her hand and she found that she was, in fact, fidgeting with the hem of her long sleeve.

"It's not helping," Josie reported.

Josie was starting to get dizzy; a delicious tingling spread throughout her body as her index finger brushed the inside of her wrist.

"You need to take a step back ..." she advised.

"I don't want to" Hope replied weakly but honestly and started to move closer.

"Ok ... we need to stop." Josie screamed quickly staggering backwards and putting a safe distance between them.

She could swear she heard her moan.

"W ... we need to fix you first and ..."

She caught her eyes and felt an electric shock go through her at the expression on her face.

"And then ... you know ... later."

_God, she sounded like an idiot!_

_God, she looked so cute when she squirmed ..._

But she was right! She was on a schedule. She didn't know how much time she had before ... She needed to focus and ...

"Later ..." The word was drenched with hope and lust as she spoke it.

"Yes…"

The two came out of their daze, taking their places on opposite sides of the room. Distance was a good thing right now.

"Andrea ..." Josie started, going into work mode. “We need to find her. Where is she?”

"Well…"

If her counterpart had been honest, she would probably be talking to Alaric or Freya about her impending death, but she couldn't tell her that. At least not now.

Maybe later ...

"I don’t know"

Josie knew she was lying and frowned.

"But there is a way to make her come to us ..." She trailed off.

"How?"

"We're like ... um ... connected." She started tentatively.

Josie's brow furrowed even more.

"Connected?"

"Yes…"

Hope's eyes moved up and down her body and she swallowed again.

Why did she get the feeling she wasn't going to like this? Or better yet, why did she get the feeling she was going to like this too much?


	18. Chapter 18

She stood up straight, not wanting to reveal her anxiety over the look she'd just given her. But the muscles in her back quickly congealed when she began gradually crossing the space in her direction.

_Just stay calm_

“What…?” She choked.

Damn it! Clearing her throat, she tried again.

“What do you mean?”

“Well… um…” Hope took another timid step towards her. “We can feel… what the other one's feeling”

Her eyebrow popped up quizzically.

“But only certain feelings…”

Josie held her breath for a second before inquiring.

“What kind of feelings?”

Hope stopped when she was standing at an arm's length from her.

“Strong one's…” Her eyes seemed to sparkle when she added. “really strong ones”

“Strong feelings…” Josie uttered.

Hope nervously ran her hand over the back of her neck, trying to relieve the tension building there.

“Like the way I feel when…” She paused, taking a deep breath. “when I'm near you…” Hope’s eyes fixed on her mouth. “kissing you” She trailed off, hoping that she didn't make her elaborate on the subject.

Josie’s eyes widened but she didn't say anything so she was forced to continue.

“Every time one of us is… um…”

_This was so weird!_

“You know…”

Hope could see her swallowing.

“the other one can feel it. Like back there…” Hope tilted her head in the direction of the mess in her room “When you and Andrea were… I felt it”

“Hope…” She started, fighting to keep her breathing even, but failing miserably. “What are you suggesting?”

Hope’s gaze dropped to the floor in shame, the blush creeping its way into her cheeks.

There was something reassuring in the fact that she was just as uneasy as she was.

“Maybe if we…”

Josie opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

The seconds ticked away loudly until she finally found her voice again.

“Ok… if you think it'll bring her here”

“Ok” Hope agreed but didn't budge.

The silence stretched out painfully between the two and she felt compelled to end it.

“So…” Josie forced out a meek laugh, shifting tensely, as she tried to mitigate the agonizing tension between them. “How do we… “

Before she could finish Hope closed the small gap between them and wrapped one arm around her waist tugging her in.

“Oh. O-ok!” Josie mumbled anxiously surprised by the unexpected move. “That… um… should work…”

Her hands were pressed into Hope’s chest and she could feel the furious beat of her heart pounding against her palms. It was just as frenzied and irregular as hers.

They hesitantly moved their heads closer, clumsily trying to figure out which way to turn so their mouths could align without their noses bumping together.

After an initial awkwardness Hope finally found her way and her lips brushed sheepishly against Josie’s before pulling back. Josie’s eyes mimicked Hope’s, intensely scrutinizing her face when she leaned in for a soft, light touch, and then another, and another.

Their lids feel closed almost simultaneously when Hope’s lips finally pulled at hers and they began to kiss.

Hope grip around her waist tightened, pulling her in while Josie’s hands anxiously travelled up her chest to lock together behind her neck tugging her closer.

The kissing rapidly escalated when her lips parted and her tongue slipped inside her mouth; a moan reverberating in the barn and Josie couldn't tell if it was hers or Hope’s.

Her tongue pushed greedily, ravenous and just as eager as hers.

Hope breathed heavily against her causing her nostrils to flare every time she inhaled sharply.

“Ah…” Josie grudgingly tore her mouth away from hers when her back hit something.

Her eyes reluctantly opened and she was faintly aware that Hope had her now pressed against one of the walls.

Her lids proved too heavy though when her mouth trailed hot, wet kisses down her neck. Hope teeth scratched at her collarbone causing her nails to automatically dig into the back of her neck and Hope groaned in pleasure against her skin.

Josie could feel her control over the situation dissolve. It both terrified and thrilled her at the same time.

“Do you think…” She fought to speak. “Think it's working?”

Hope pulled away from her, winded, flushed, lips swollen and eyes glassy.

_Yep! It was definitely working._

Josie gulped at the lustful look she found on her face as she nodded vehemently.

Hope didn't even try to say anything. She was pretty sure if she did it would come out as an unintelligible grunt.

They stared at each other, wide eyed and breathless.

“Maybe… um…”

God, it was impossible to think with her so close, looking at her like she wanted to ravish her.

“maybe we should… continue… you know… just to make sure” Josie managed to tear the words out between pants.

Hope nodded more emphatically at her proposal and dove in for another hungry assault on her lips.

Hope grasped her left thigh and hoisted it up against her hip. Hope pelvis grinded impatiently into hers, pressing against her centre and eliciting a powerful wave of pleasure to spread through her body.

The warm moisture seeped out to soak her underwear and she instinctively thrust back.

_Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!_

Josie couldn't believe how close she was!

Hope’s lips sucked and pulled at hers, frantically opening her mouth to her probing tongue, while her hips continued to incessantly shove into her.

Her grip kept her in place and with each precise thrust a jolt of overwhelming heat would slam into her.

If she kept this up…

No! She needed to focus, she really didn't think that it would bode well for Andrea if she walked in on them dry humping with her coming under Hope's ministrations.

But the way she was hitting her clit, her tongue now in her ear doing that thing… It wouldn't take much longer.

Maybe if she shifter her hips…?

There! Better… this way maybe she could think.

“Shouldn't…” Josie gasped. “Shouldn't she… um…Oh, god!... be here… Ah! … already?”

“Uh…What?” Hope’s voice was muffled and low in her ear.

“Andrea… She should… ah…be here…”

“Maybe she…” lick “got…” suck “sidetracked…”

With the last word Hope slightly move and her thigh found her spot once again and grinded against her.

Josie’s back instantly arched off the wooden structure and into her chest.

“Oh, God, Hope…”

Josie couldn't fight it anymore and her hips rashly moved against her thigh, in a series of erratic, impulsive, desperate shoves that had them both grunting and heaving until her eyes rolled back into her skull and she was thrashing against her as a powerful surge of pleasure erupted from between her thighs to overwhelm her.

Hope froze. Confused, unsure of what was happening. Had she hurt her? Why did she stop? What was..?

When she pried herself away from her neck and looked at Josie, her eyes widened in shock at the sight of her; lids closed, teeth clenched, cheeks tainted with a gorgeous shade of red, no trace of pain.

After a few seconds, when Josie finally opened her eyes to meet her gaze, there was no doubt in her mind of what had just happened.

Pride and lust pounded in her chest as she watched Josie’s struggle to get her breathing under control.

Hope had never seen her more beautiful and she'd never wanted her as much as she did at that moment.

She leaned in to kiss her when a harsh growl coming from behind her broke the spell between them.

“Am I interrupting?”

The two jolted to see a winded Andrea standing at the door.

“Andrea…' It came out of Josie’s mouth like a whisper.

She was still reeling from the intensity of her orgasm.

Awkwardly, she pushed Hope off of her and stumbled a bit before finding her footing.

She could see the anger and hurt marring her perfect features, her accusing eyes burning into her before snapping up to her counterpart.

“good, you're here” She said putting some distance between her and Hope and clumsily running her hand through her messy hair.

She was about to continue when a sudden gush of wind blew past her and the next thing she saw was Hope pinned against a wall by her neck, Andrea angrily looming over her.

“She is MINE!”

“Andrea, stop it!” She yelled.

Andrea could feel the sting in her own lungs as Hope jerked and twisted under the powerful grip.

“Stop it right now!” Josie ordered trying to yank her off of Hope.

“Fine!”

Hope fell to the floor, trying to breath.

Noting the silence filtering between the three Josie jumped into action, staring to march her way out of the room as she spoke quickly.

“Let's go to the library and start working on bringing you two back together”

The two stood remained frozen in place for a few seconds longer.

“Well? Are you coming?” Her snooty command seemed to snap them out of it and the two hastily fell into stride with her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry about the lateness, but classes have already started at school, so I have little time to write between work and classes.

'You two. Sit.' She pointed at the couch there and much to her astonishment both did as they were told, each taking a seat on opposite sides of the couch.

They watched as she paced around. She was all business:

“So, we have to figure out how to get a two in one Hope Mikaelson. Any ideas?”

The girls exchanged a dirty glance and Josie rolled her eyes.

“Don't start with the whole Alpha ego trip. I think we've pretty much established that pummelling each other to death doesn't work. How about we do the opposite?” She cocked an eyebrow at them. “Try to find a common ground, maybe?”

Andrea thinks that there was something off. Her gaze studied Josie closely as she continued to pace and talk at the same time:

“What do you two have in common?”

“Besides the fact that we hate each other?” Andrea snorted.

“Yes, Andrea. Besides that” Josie forced on a fake smile.

When they failed to come up with an answer she let out a sigh.

“Any day now, girls…”

There was another long pause.

“Oh, come on! You are two halves of the same person. You must have something in common!”

Giving up, she took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of the couch. They remained silently gazing at her.

Her attention bounced from one to the other.

It was uncanny just how identical they were. Even though their demeanours were different to begin with, Andrea exuding self-confidence while Hope emanated a quiet kindness, now that they sat there, sprawled on the couch, slouching, the only thing telling them apart was their clothing. If they had been naked she wouldn't be able to tell who was who.

That last thought quickly sent her mind staggering toward the gutter.

_Naked Hope. Naked Andrea. Hmm…'_ But she caught herself, visibly frowning as she scolded: _'No! Bad Josie! No nakedness. Nakedness is bad! Very bad!'_

Instinctively, she brought her legs together in an effort to suppress the tingling between her thighs.

The hairs in the back of her neck sprung up when she noticed the change in their expressions as they picked up on her growing discomfort.

She jolted up.

“I'm hungry!” She blurted abruptly. 'I'm going to the kitchen!'

She tried to breath as images of two naked copies of Hope kept popping into her brain.

Truth was what she needed was to get some air.

The moment she was gone Andrea turned to Hope.

“If stormed she out, then what is she doing here?”

“She said she was walking back into her room and then she thought was better go find Lizzie” Hope explained with a furrowed brow.

What was she getting at?

Hope felt a pang of fear when she saw the smirk splayed on Andrea's lips.

“She didn't go anywhere”

“What?”

“She knows”

“What do you mean she knows?”

“I'm telling you she heard us”

“No, she didn't” Hope insisted on her denial even though her brain had been nagging the same thing, especially after her common ground _idea_.

“Oh yeah, she did”

“I don't know. She would surely say something, right?” Hope tried to reason earning an annoyed expression from Andrea.

“This is Josie we are talking about. She’s smart, she’s waiting for something”

Andrea was right.

“And how did she know that the way to get us back together is by finding what we have in common?” Andrea asked.

Hope felt the panic creeping into her stomach, making it spasm.

But if she knew… Why hadn't she said anything?

“She heard us” Andrea repeated.

“I’m back!” Josie declared walking back into the room to find herself the object of two scrutinizing stares. “What?”

The lack of a reply sent her heartbeat into overdrive.

“What?! Why are you looking at me like that?”

And now they were both standing up and walking up towards her; still staring intensely.

_Oh-oh!_

“Josie…?” Andrea began; her stride cat like.

_And I guess I'm the mouse_


	20. Chapter 20

Soon the two were invading her personal space. She needed to get the upper hand once more.

“Did you guys figure something out?”

“I think we did” Andrea slurred.

“Oh… um… good” She quickly weaselled her way past the two.

They followed her.

“So, what did you come up with?” She whirled around and once more they were standing just a foot away from her.

Her eyes drifted from one to the other.

Hope wide eyes darted up to Josie's face. Josie seemed to remain oblivious to the fact that she had just been caught in her own lie.

“What?” She asked, her heat skipping a beat at the stern expression she was giving her.

“You lied to me” Hope grave her arm.

She frowned, confused.

“You said you were walking back into your room and you came back to find Lizzie” Hope explained.

She could feel her frenzied pulse pounding over her hand.

_Oh, god!_

Her mind spun frantically searching for an excuse.

“I really have to get that thing fixed” She finally said.

She tried to sound annoyed would have been successful if only she hadn't faltered at the very end of her short sentence.

She made a move but her grip on her tightened and she was forced to look up at her once again.

It took a couple of seconds to regain her composure before she tried half-heartedly:

“What?”

“You never left”

She was startled by the sound of Andrea's voice just behind her ear.

“Of course I did” Josie lied not very convincingly.

Like a dear caught in the headlights, her gaze bounced from one girl to the other.

“No, you didn't” Andrea insisted.

The tension was palpable in the room; the oxygen quickly being drained from the space.

“Yes, I did” She was beginning to sound desperate and it showed.

Hope was paralyzed.

She knew! She'd heard them! She knew everything!

“You're lying” Andrea stated as a matter-of-fact and with that small phrase she sucked out the rest of the air she had left.

Jerking her hand away from Hope's weakened she left the library.

The two followed suit.

“I'm not lying!” Josie voice raised an octave and bore witness to her distress.

The two drew closer to her and forced her to backtrack.

“You heard us” Andrea's words took a tone of accusation.

Hope remained silently staring at her. Josie didn't know what was more disconcerting as she continued to walk backwards while they approached.

“Heard what?”

“You know!”

“I don't know what you are talking about” She halted in her staggering when she reached her room.

“You know about us” Andrea uttered low coming to stand toe-to-toe with her.

She held her chin up high as she snapped back.

“What I know is that you two are acting like crazies and it's freaking me out”

“Stop lying, Josie!” Andrea demanded a little more forcefully. “I know you heard us!”

She needed to up the stakes.

“And just what did I hear?”

“That we-“

“Um… guys…”

Their attention was drawn to Hope.

“Maybe we should take this in my room” Hope recommended eyeing her surroundings.

Wordlessly, the three returned to the tribrid’s room. The moment the room door closed behind them Josie sprang into action.

“Look, maybe you should check your clone here. I think she's losing it” She scoffed offhandedly at Hope, but avoided her gaze.

“What did you hear, Josie?” Hope questioned solemnly.

“You too?! Maybe insanity is one of the side effects of the spilt” She ridiculed adding a forced laugh for good measure.

Her breath hitched when she suddenly found herself face to face with an uncompromising Hope.

“Josie” Hope half growled towering over her. “Just tell me the truth”

She gulped. She was about to continue with her denial, but the look on her face told her it was no use.

Pressing her lips together tightly she inhaled before finally admitting:

“I was going to leave”

Both Andrea and Hope held their breaths.

“But then it sounded like you two were going to kill each other so I came back” She paused.

It felt like the longest, most unbearable pause in the world for Hope.

“I heard you argue” She finished.

“I knew it!”

Her gaze remained locked with Hope's in spite of Andrea's outburst.

Her voice was a mere whisper when she added:

“I heard everything”

A gut wrenching spam seized Hope's stomach. She could see the fear and panic swimming in her large, glazed eyes.

The seconds drawled by causing the tension to build further between the three until Hope muttered feebly:

“Why did you lie?”

Josie narrowed her eyes at her question, tipping her head sideways in contempt:

“You guys lie all the time! I guess decided to jump on the bandwagon. I was feeling left out”

She couldn't stand having her look at her like that. It was heartbreaking.

“So… now that we've gotten that out of the way. Let's focus.” She declared dismissively trying to slip past the two girls and into the room, but Andrea was a wall of concrete barring her way.

“You're just going to ignore this?” Andrea asked in disbelief.

“Considering that one of the things I heard was that you two were dead if you didn't fuse back together? Yes, I'm sure we can put this little incident on the back burner for a while” She snorted back up at her.

“Josie, we can't just not talk about this” Hope's voice came from behind her.

She snapped. She was tired of feeling like the mouse in this game.

“And just what do you want me to say?” She demanded; hand propped on her hip.

Hope was left without an answer.

“Look, right now I'm more worried about your glooming demise than all the mate thing” The tightness in her throat returned.

They had little time left and they were wasting it arguing about this.

“So let's just sit down and figure this out, ok?”

With that she walks around the room, pushing past Andrea and plopping down on the bed.

Reluctantly, the two girls dragged themselves over to where she sat and took a seat on either side of her.

She pushed back the jitteriness that rumbled in her belly when their legs and arms brushed up against hers.

“Ok…”She began slowly. “Now, besides the fact that you are the same person”

“we aren’t”

That earned Andrea a glare from Josie.

“what you think is not really important here, Andrea. As I was saying… besides the obvious, what do you two have in common?” She inquired eyeing both girls.

The look they gave her sent her mind drifting back to the fact that this bed was too small.

Too many limbs touching. And touching led to straying thoughts, fuzzy feelings and shortness of breath.

_Focus, just focus._ She ordered her brain, but then Andrea shifted and she could feel her warm breath on her neck.

Her eyes rolled back in her skull.

This wasn't going to be easy.

Swallowing hard she questioned slightly annoyed:

“Any idea would be good right about now…”

Neither spoke, they just stared at her, Hope giving her her trademark puppy-eyes look, Andrea giving her…

Instinctively she pushed her thighs together.

Maybe it was best if she avoided her gaze all together.


	21. Chapter 21

Every time Andrea exhaled a warm gush of air would caress the side of her neck and send a powerful electric jolt down her body straight to the small spot where her thighs came together.

She shifted for the third time. The silence between the three wasn't helping either.

Hope's jaw muscles twitched as she moved slightly and her legs pressed closer to her. She ran a worried hand through her hair releasing her scent into the room and she instinctively inhaled deeply, nostrils flaring.

Her eyes drifted toward her counterpart and found her doing the exact same thing.

To her the answer to the looming question was pretty obvious by now. Andrea met her gaze and she instantly knew she was thinking the same thing.

“Come on people, focus” Josie spoke breaking the uncomfortable stillness while she leaned back in a feeble attempt to look like she was unphased by their proximity. “You can't tell me there isn't one thing?”

She turned left and right and had to suppress the urge to gulp when she saw the same hungry look in both girls.

Shaking off the tension building in her belly she resorted to questioning one at a time.

“Hope? Any suggestions?” She demanded cocking an eyebrow at her.

Hope simply shrugged. She didn't want to be the one pointing out what was clear, at least to her and Andrea.

“We don't have anything in common…” Hope replied meekly.

“That's productive” Josie snorted turning to Andrea. “What about you?”

“She's weak and pathetic. I'm not” Andrea said bluntly and she heard Hope let out an exasperated sigh. “She lets people trample all over her, like Landon”

“And you trample over people” Hope cut her off.

“I say what I think” Andrea countered. “What _you_ think and don't have the guts to say”

“Sometimes you have to keep things in so you don't hurt the people you love” Hope argued back.

“Keeping things in… right, that's your euphemism for lying” Andrea jeered.

“I don't lie!” Hope retorted.

“You're joking right?” Andrea scoffed.

Josie's gaze ping-ponged from one to the other.

“Guys, guys. This isn't helping” She decided to intervene before things escalated.

Her warning, however, was ignore by both girls as the two continued to glare at each other.

“Truth is you get off on hurting people” Hope spat.

“At least I don't sit on my ass all day moping and brooding. Oh poor little me!” Andrea ridiculed. “I have a problem I fix it”

“Yeah, cause you did a lot of fixing with mom”

Andrea shifted threateningly. She was ready to pounce on Hope.

“I wasn't the one who wants her daddy back in the first place, prudy”

Josie felt Hope stiffen next to her. This wasn't good.

“I don't know what you two are talking about. But do you mind bringing it down a notch or two?” Josie cut in.

“I just wanted to see dad, it was not my intention to cause harm''

“oh but you had more than one chance to say where was mom, but you didn't, did you?”

Hope swallowed, trying to push back the sour taste of guilt crawling in the back of her throat.

Hope'd had this internal debate so many times she'd lost count. It was so bizarre now being able to physically face this part of herself.

“Just admit it, you screwed up as much as I did!” Andrea challenged.

“I made a mistake, I know that. I don't deny it”

“Of course not. Not now that you actually have me to blame it on”

“I take responsibility for my mistakes” Hope raised her voice, bending over inadvertently invading Josie's personal bubble in the process.

“No, you don't” Andrea gritted, mimicking her doppelganger's actions and reducing even further Josie's breathing space. “You just brood and do nothing to fix them”

“I don't brood” Hope denied childishly.

“Well, actually…” Josie piped up.

Hope looked at Josie, cramped up in her small spot on the bed.

“that's kind of your signature move, Hope – room alone-brooding”

“You're taking her side?!” Hope asked aghast.

“Even she agrees with me” Andrea jibbed with a sly smirk.

'Shut up! I'm not taking sides!' She half-yelped defensively.

“Yes, you are!” Hope insisted a bit hurt.

“There are no sides to take!” She scolded. “You're the same person. How many times do I have to point this out?” She said with growing frustration. “You're making me sound like a parrot. You and you are one person. One very messed up person, but one none the less”

And she was off into her rant.

“Fine, so you're repression girl and you're…” She eyed Andrea. “Well, you're definitely missing a social filter or two. You just say and do whatever pops into your head. You can't do that”

It was Hope's turn to revel as the tables turned. Josie caught it.

“Don't start smirking, Hope, cause keeping it all bottle up doesn't work either” She threw at her before returning to chastising Andrea. “You can't just waltz into some place and do whatever you want. That is definite no-no in the social protocol”

“I take what I want!” Andrea leered at her.

She ignored the growl coming from behind her and kept her attention on Andrea. Even though she tried hard she wasn't able to keep the jealousy from filtering into her next snide remark:

“Maybe you missed class that day, but you can't just go around taking what you want”

“Why not?”

Before she could reply the answer came from Hope:

“Because maybe they don't want you!”

“Or maybe they do!” Andrea narrowed her eyes at her twin.

“Ok, can we keep the unhealthy Landon Kirby obsession out of this?” Josie suggested angrily.

“We're not talking about Landon” The two blurted in unison.

Josie frowned, her gaze jumping back and forth between the two.

“What did I miss?”

Her eyes widened when Hope's gaze dropped nervously to her lap and realisation struck her

“Oh… um…”

An instant lump formed in her throat at the sudden discomfort enveloping the three.

They were talking about her.

_Oh god, oh god, oh god. Do something. Say something. Please change the subject._ Her brain shouted at her.

Josie felt miniscule buried between the two girls, shoulders drawn together. Her eyes were focused on her hands and avoided the exchange of deadly glares between the two girls.

But when the silence became too overwhelming.

They glowered at each other.

“I want her” Andrea gnashed.

“So do I!” Hope retorted with equal loathing.

“I want her!”

“So do I!”

Somehow she had the sneaking suspicion what they are talking about.

“There's enough for everyone” she said without thinking.

Hope and Andrea's eyes darted towards her as she could swear she saw a hint of golden sparking in both their gazes.

_Oh, god I didn't just say that out loud!'_ She mentally smacked herself in the forehead.


	22. Chapter 22

_I didn't just say that_ Her mind repeated the mantra in a feeble attempt to convince itself that it was true, but every time she'd sneak a glimpse at either Hope or Andrea she was faced with the cruel reality that, in fact, she had said it.

She shrank further into the bed as the two girls look at her.

She had to get out of there.

“I think I'm thirsty, I'll go for a glass of water, anyone want a glass of water?” She suddenly blurted, jolting up and scurrying into the bathroom.

The two followed her with their gaze, both perfectly attuned to the frantic rhythm of her heart.

Andrea couldn't help but smile, pride expanding in her chest at the knowledge that she was partially responsible for her jitteriness. She looked so cute when she was nervous. So cute and…

The heat slowly rose up in her belly.

“No… I' fine thanks” Hope replied watching Josie as she drinks her water.

“are you sure? this is refreshing” She said.

Maybe the cold water would help with the flush she felt in her cheeks. Her eyes closed relishing as the cold water was soothing her.

Andrea watched her intensely, her sensitive hearing picking up on her slightest moan eliciting one of her own.

Hope's gaze darted toward her doppelganger when she felt the now familiar rush of lust. Andrea's eyes were golden – she was imagining her naked on her mind.

“What are you doing?” Hope hissed desperately.

Andrea ignored her and continued to eye Josie who remained oblivious to the growing confrontation.

“Stop it” Hope commanded, pushing back the desire that was quickly bubbling to the surface.

“Andrea…” Hope snarled a little more forcefully, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. “You can't do that”

Once more, Andrea made no effort to heed to her twin's plea.

When the tension became too much to handle, Hope stood up blocking Josie from her view.

“You do realise that doesn't work, right?” Andrea sneered, simply closing her eyes with a smile.

Next thing she knew she was being hauled up by the flimsy fabric of her v-shirt.

“Stop it”

“Make me” Andrea dared finally meeting her glare.

Josie froze, look at them.

“You're disgusting”

_Here they go again_

“Guys…”

“You're a coward” Andrea retorted shoving her away with enough force to cause Hope to stagger back into the desk pieces.

If they hadn't broken the desk earlier, she would have crashed into it.

With two ground-eating steps Andrea closed the distance between them.

Josie watched the tense face off with a concerned frown marring her features, the cold glass in one hand forgotten.

They stood toe to toe, chins high, shoulders fixed, glowering.

She was getting sick and tired of this.

“What's going on?” Josie demanded.

Andrea just smirked haughtily and a chill ran down her spine when she directed a sideway glance at her.

Hope nearly choked at the renewed wave of yearning that flooded her, her cheeks turning a faded shade of pink when she felt her body reacting.

“Stop!” Hope gritted weakly, trying hard to keep her serenity, but Andrea didn't yield and instead kept her probing gaze focused on Josie's chest.

“S-stop what?” Josie stammered confused by the look Andrea was giving her, her heart skipping a beat at the undeniable desire sparking in her blue orbs.

“Andrea!” Hope growled in a mixture of barely controlled lust and anger as she pushed Andrea up against the wall.

Andrea's response was immediate, gripping Hope by her shoulders and shoving her back, but this time she was prepared and didn't stumble.

“I told you to stop! Now!”

“Stop what?!” Josie's yell rang loudly in the room.

“She's eyeing you up, imagining you naked!” Hope gritted, fixed on Andrea, still holding her up against the wall.

“WHAT?!” Josie's eyes widened in shock.

Realisation struck her and Hope swallowed thickly, embarrassment taking over.

“She-she's eyeing you up”

She felt her back go completely stiff.

“She…” She was dumbfounded, shrinking a little.

A lump formed in her throat when Andrea leered at her suggestively and she got her answer.

Hope's knuckles turned pale as her grip on Andrea's v-shirt tightened.

“Hope, let go of her!” Josie ordered low recovering from the initial surprise.

After a beat she relented and stepped away from her.

The three stood silently until Josie spoke again.

“Let me see if I get this right” She began as calmly as possible. 'You were looking at me and imagining me naked and you feel it?'

The two nodded.

“that’s very disrespectful” she looked at Andrea.

Andrea’s stomach crawled painfully at the look she gave her, the guilt creeping up her oesophagus to leave a stale taste in her mouth. Like a scolded child her eyes dropped shamefully to the floor and the words tumbled from her mouth:

“I'm sorry.”

Hope's eyes widened.

Andrea was apologizing? Andrea never apologized for anything. Ever!

She was arrogant and proud. Even when she realised she'd done something wrong she never apologized. This was unheard of.

The wheels turned rapidly in her head as she watched the interaction between Josie and Andrea and for a second she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience, like she was seeing herself.

Being around Josie made Andrea act differently. Sure, she was still offensive and crude, all the things that Hope wasn't but now… as she watched her, head bowed, shoulders shrugged, she looked guilty, remorseful.

Andrea never expressed any kind of remorse.

Hope thought back on her own reactions.

Usually, Hope was pretty much in control, never letting herself be overtaken by her emotions, keeping them bottled up. She was always mild mannered, polite, thoughtful.

But when it came to Josie, that self-control would waver. And it had become more and more frequent over the last twenty-four hours.

How many outbursts had she had in the last day? And all of them related somehow to Josie. The jealousy, the fear for her safety or the compelling thrall she had on her elicited strong reactions from her.

Even at the peak of her infatuation with Landon Kirby she'd never been so bold as to react to it. She'd never cornered him or dared to initiate a kiss, and the few times she did, they were always chaste and innocent, never raw or primal like her encounter with Josie earlier.

She'd seen Landon talking or smiling with other people so many times, she'd never felt a sting of jealousy. But with Josie… the sight of her kissing Andrea had triggered a fierce, guttural response from her, a ferocious possessiveness that had her ready to punch her other half.

That was when it struck her – it wasn't just that they were both drawn to her; around Josie they were more alike than ever.

Andrea was actually mild and kind and she was more aggressive, more assertive.

When she looked up, her gaze met Andrea's and she knew she was thinking the exact same thing – Josie was the key.

Josie watched as the two girls exchanged a knowing look, no sign of aggression or despise.

“What?” She dared to ask, not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Silence.

“What?!” She was getting increasingly nervous.

It didn't help when both of them looked at her.

“This isn't good, is it?” She worded her thoughts, gaze bouncing anxiously from one to the other.

“I think we just figured out how to fix this” Andrea was the first to speak.

“Well, that's good… right?”

Then why were they staring at her like that.

Her breath caught in her clenching throat.

As the tension stretched between them, she instinctively swallowed hard.

_Better…_

“So… What is it?” She questioned.

“You” Hope uttered.

The sound of a couching fit erupted in the room as Josie choked.

“Are you ok?” The two asked in unison crossing the tiled floor and worriedly coming to stand next to her.

She let out a couple of coughs, before she was able to regain her composure and strangle out:

“What did you say?”

“You're the key, Josie”

Her eyes went back and forth between Andrea and Hope.

“Come again?”


	23. Chapter 23

“Do you mind running that by me once again? How am _I_ the key to getting you two back together?”

Hope swallowed dryly before speaking:

“Remember when I told you that Andrea and I were connected? That somehow we could feel what the other one was feeling?”

Her cheeks started to burn again at the memory of when she'd shared that particular piece of information with her and what had transpired between them afterwards.

“Yeah…?”

“Well, most of those… connections involve you” Hope explained.

Her heart galloped in her chest.

“Actually, all of them” Andrea corrected. “It only happens with you”

Both Hope and Josie frowned at that.

“We don't know…” Hope tried but Andrea interrupted with an annoyed tone:

“Did you get any feeling last night when I left?”

After a beat she added:

“Anything coming from me?”

“No” Hope denied with a furrowed brow.

Josie eyed Andrea suspiciously. What was she getting at?

“When I stormed out I went to a club” She began tentatively, gaze fixed on Josie “There was this girl…”

Andrea could see the change in her expression. It was fleeting and she couldn't quite read it, but she could have sworn she saw a hint of hurt in her face before it was abruptly replaced by a cool and unphased demeanour.

“She and I…”

Hope's eyes bugged out.

There it was again, in the corner of her eyes… that pain that broke out a panicked regret in her.

“No-nothing happened! I swear!” Andrea quickly tried to reassure her.

_Andrea was stuttering!_ Hope was shocked. Andrea never stuttered.

She looked at Josie to find her with a blank look, the front of detachment slipping back on.

“Nothing happened, Josie! I mean, we kissed but that's all”

Andrea was actually nervous.

“You can kiss whoever you want. It's none of my business” Josie said nonchalantly walking away from them as she tried hard to mask the dull ache of betrayal.

Andrea's head dropped in defeat.

“So, you and this girl…” Hope uttered.

“Yes, and did you pick up on anything?” Andrea questioned ignoring the sting inside.

“Nothing”

“In the meantime I was picking up on a few things coming from you…” Andrea sent an accusing glare to both Josie and Hope.

“Oh, don't you dare!” Josie snapped, losing her feeble grip on self-control. “I wasn't the one smooching around with some skanky slut in just met at a club”

“No, you were just making out with Hope” Andrea shot back angrily.

“She's you!” She yelled pointing at Hope.

“Technically”

“No, not technically! You” She pointed at Hope. “And you” Then Andrea “Same person. So _I_ didn't cheat!”

The three of them froze at her outburst. She anxiously back peddled:

“I mean… Not that you cheated, cause we're not… You and I…” She looked at Hope “I mean, you and I, and… um… and you…” She brought her hand to her throbbing temple. “Oh god, I feel like my head is going to explode” She groaned.

Shaking it off, she stood up straight.

“Can we just get back on track here? So, you only feel this connection when…”

“…when it involves you, Josie” Hope finished her sentence.

“And it's not just when we get… physical” Andrea said awkwardly.

“…the mate thing, I felt Hope's fear” She paused and looked at Hope. “Just like she's feeling mine right now”

Hope nodded when Josie threw her a questioning look.

“Yeah, well… but that doesn't mean that I'm the _key_ to solving this”

“It's not just that” Hope muttered. “The way we act around you”

“What about it?”

“Andrea acts more like me, she's remorseful and…”

“Weak” Andrea jibed and Hope sighed.

“Yes. And I act more like her. I get angry and”

“Confident” Andrea supplied earning frustrated groan from Hope.

“Don't you see? We're more alike when we're around you”

“So, what?” Josie popped an eyebrow at them. “The way to get two in one is by having you hanging out around me?”

She saw the blush take over Hope's cheeks.

“Yeah… maybe…”

“Or…” Andrea intervened.

Oh, she didn't like that ' _or'_ …

She liked it even less when it was followed by a step she took in her direction.

“Up until now, every time we got one of those feelings, it was just one of us… feeling it”

“Andrea, where are you going with this?” Hope inquired, her heartbeat picking up speed.

Josie' eyes snapped open.

“Are suggesting I go around and put me on danger so you guys can merge together? Anyone who's not in favour of suicidal plan please raise their hand”

Both Hope and Josie’s' glass holding hand shot up.

“Two against one. Proposal vetoed. Next please!” She scoffed sarcastically.

“I was thinking something a little less dramatic” Andrea clarified.

“Like what?”

“Well… fear wasn't the only feeling we got…”

This time, both Hope and Josie bulged their eyes at her.

She wasn't suggesting…

She drew closer to her, invading her personal space, causing her breaths to become shallow and irregular.

“There was something a lot more powerful there when we… kissed”

She was!

“Andrea…W She started, struggling to get her breathing under control. “Are you suggesting a…”

_Don't say it. Don't say it._ Hope mentally begged her.

“…a threesome?”

She said it! And every single muscle in Hope's body contracted instantly.

“No, no. Noooo!” Hope quickly cut in, shaking her head vehemently and striding up to them. “She's not suggesting anything of the sort!” Shooting daggers at Andrea she gritted: “Are you?”

“Technically, it wouldn't be a threesome” Andrea leered and both Josie and Hope gawked at her.

Images flashed frenziedly in her mind's eye, snapshots of two sets of hands all over her, grasping and needing her flesh, two eager mouths suckling and worrying her flushed, sweat sleeked skin, herself trapped between two… bodies, crushing her, pushing, heaving against hers.

Her knees literally buckled from under her and she stumbled as she lost her footing.

Two hands came out to steady her, one on each arm, one belonging to Andrea the other to Hope.

The air was thick and palpable between them as they stood, paralyzed by an overwhelming current of pleasure that coursed through them.

Josie gasped when she saw, out of the corner of her eyes, a faint white glow sparkle over her right arm, just where Hope's fingers kept a protective hold on her. Her gaze darted left to her other limb and to her astonishment she found the same brightness irradiating from Andrea's hand.

She jolted back abruptly breaking contact with both of them - the light vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared.

“What. The hell. Was that?” She said between desperate pants.

She felt like her heart was trying to pound its way out of her chest.

Hope and Andrea just stared wide eyed at each other and back at her.

“Tell me you guys have handy glow in the dark powers” She spoke hastily, her voice reeking of fear and uncertainty.

The seconds dragged by at a snail's pace until Andrea regained the ability to speak and muttered weakly:

“No”

“Well, not until now. Maybe it's a new thing we've developed” Hope tried hard to find an explanation that would suit her.

Andrea rolled her eyes at her.

“Yeah, yeah” Josie quickly jumped on the denial bandwagon

“That was not a new kind of power and we all know it!” Andrea growled impatiently getting Hope and Josie's attention. “We all know what that was. It was the same during the split, remember the bright light?”

“Actually, I don't” Josie piped up.

“But Hope does, don't you?”

She nodded reluctantly.

“So I was right” Andrea concluded arrogantly.

“Forget it. We are not having a threesome!” Hope stated curtly.

Josie repressed the urge to pout and simply nodded her agreement with Hope.


	24. Chapter 24

“So then what do you suggest we do?” Andrea sneered at Hope, arms defiantly crossed over her chest.

“I don't know. We'll think of something”

Josie, on her part, went back to desperately drinking her water. At least that way she wouldn't feel so guilty about contributing to the looming silence that was once again building around them.

“Any bright ideas yet?” Andrea retorted after a long pause.

“Don't push me. I'm thinking”

“You think too much” Andrea complained under her breath.

“And you don't think enough”

Josie jumped in:

“Don't start that. It's getting old” Sighing. “Look, I'm tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night and I'm exhausted. How about we all just go to bed?”

“That's what I suggested” Andrea leered with a devious smirk.

Josie gulped down her water while Hope snapped at her:

“Will you just drop it already? It's not happening!”

Andrea shrugged and mumbled:

“Fine”

“Josie, you take my bed. Andrea and I will take the floor”

Josie nodded her agreement and go to the bathroom.

The moment she was out of hearing range Hope pinned Andrea with her gaze.

“What the hell's wrong with you? How could you suggest that?!”

“Like you weren't thinking it?”

“No, I wasn't”

“Yeah, right”

“Not everyone has their mind permanently buried in the gutter”

“Well, whatever your solution to this is you better come up with it fast. I think our magic is going”

“What do you mean?”

“Try using yours” Andrea replied.

A bit confused, Hope focused in made a power ball of magic as expected, she was able to do it, the sphere shone on her hands…

“It works fine”

“Just hold it for a while”

Hope sighed, but did as she was asked.

Her heart skipped a beat when, after about seven seconds, when the sphere unwillingly disappeared. She tried again and this time she was able to hold it for less than five seconds.

Andrea was right.

Andrea fought against the harsh gaps her lungs were demanding after trying to force change to her wolf.

“wolf thing is going too” She uttered between pants.

Hope gulped against her constricted throat as she felt the energy draining from her.

“We're running out of time”' Andrea said grimly, feeling the same strange weight on her chest.

When Hope failed to reply she asked:

“Did you hear me?”

Andrea was left once again without a response as Hope struggled to think of something.

“Hope!”

That seemed to snap her out of her daze and she finally looked up at her counterpart.

“We need to do something or...”

Hope just stood there, looking at Andrea whose patient was wearing thin.

“It's happening...” The fear filtered into Andrea's voice.

“What's happening?”

The two turned to see Josie at the bathroom door.

“Jo…ready to go to bed?” Hope questioned trying to keep the alarm from her tone, but failing.

“What's happening?”

Hope dropped her gaze as she lied:

“Um... Nothing we're just”

“Dying” Andrea cut her off impatiently.

Hope shot her a dirty look.

Josie's eyes widened in horror and she stepped into the room to join the two.

“You're what?!”

“We're dying” Andrea reiterated crossing her arms over her chest.

“We're not dying!” Hope shot.

Josie's stare demanded an explanation from her.

“Our powers... they're...” For lack of a better euphemism she chose: “...fading. It doesn't mean we're dying”

Realising she wasn't going to get a straight answer from Hope she turned to Andrea:

“What do you mean they're fading?”

“It's not just the powers. We're growing weak” She explained.

She turned back to Hope, her eyes pleading for her to be honest with her.

“Josie, we're fine. We still have time” Hope tried to calm her, but she could hear her heartbeat gradually pick up speed.

Hope wasn't a terrible liar but Josie knew her well enough to know better.

“You don't look fine” She said, taking in their complexion.

It had grown paler since she'd seen them five minutes ago. It was a faint difference but it was there and it sent her mind into chaos as panic took over.

“We have to do something. Now!” Andrea spoke up.

“I know that!” Hope growled “I'm thinking”

The seconds ticked away dauntingly until Andrea jibbed:

“You done thinking?”

“Shut up!” Hope yelled, her fist slamming into the wall.

The wood creaked at the impact but Andrea and Hope ignored it, their eyes darting toward the wall. On a normal occasion it would have made a big hole, instead it remained unaltered while Hope kneaded her now aching knuckles.

“What?” Josie inquired catching the exchange between the two.

“You still think we're fine, wonder girl?” Andrea's snide was low and harsh.

Hope didn't respond, keeping her eyes on her injured hand.

Andrea began impatiently:

“We need…”

“auch”

“Are you ok?” Andrea asked.

Hope tried to move her fingers, but quickly regretted it as a lacerating pain tore its way on her hand.

“Oh, God! You're bleeding” Josie noted in panic when she saw the growing red stain on Hope’s knuckles.

“she isn’t healing” Andrea said.

“Are you ok?” Josie repeated Andrea's question and this time Hope was able to nod. “Are you sure?”

Another nod.

“I'll get the first aid kit” Josie announced rushing over to the bathroom.

Her hands shook uncontrollably as she picked up the small box from under the sink.

She was back in less than ten seconds to find Hope and Andrea standing toe to toe glaring at each other.

“We're running out of time” Andrea gritted between clenched teeth.

“We are not doing that! And that's final!” Hope shouted back in her face.

“You know that this is…”

“We are not doing it!” Hope's voice broke down and she dropped to the bed, worn out from the strain.

Josie's heart drummed erratically in her chest as she walked fully into the room.

“You are an idiot! We're going to die because you…”

“Andrea!”

Her attention turned to Josie.

She swallowed dryly and she spoke calmly:

“Go outside”

Andrea didn't budge.

“You need to cool off. Just go”

They held each other's stare for a few moments before Andrea shook her head and relented:

“Fine”

She crossed the room toward the door.

Josie jolted at the loud bang as it slammed shut behind her.

Taking a deep breath, she came to sit next to Hope.

Her head was hanging low, her breathing becoming fast and laboured when Josie reached for her hand to inspect her wound.

“Here, let me help” Josie uttered.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry in advance for any mistakes, I just got home from my birthday party and maybe I'm a little drunk, but I can't get this chapter out of my head.

Her shaky fingers on her hand attempt to appear cool and collected.

Trying hard to keep her hands steady she proceeded to pull the blood from the hand while she cringed.

She ignored the little flutter in her belly as Hope looked at her.

She was bad. How could she be thinking about how kissable her lips looked when she was injured like that?

However, all improper thoughts abandoned her mind when she finally saw the large gash running in her knuckles and hand.

Nausea weaved around Hope's head when she took in the extent of her wound.

This was going to hurt like hell.

Silently, Josie went about tending to her cut.

She saw her facial muscles contract, her jaw setting tightly as she tentatively dabbed the wet cotton over the abrasion.

“Sorry” She muttered apologetically and she gave her a warm look.

Her eyes remained focused on her face as she worked on her tenderly.

Even though she was trying to hide it, she could see the tension in her.

“It's going to be alright, Jo” Hope reassured her.

“Uh-huh, I know” She replied a little too quickly keeping her gaze on what she was doing, unable to look at her and maintain her facade of bravery at the same time.

The truth was she was scared.

When she was done cleaning and disinfecting the gash, she picked up a roll of gaze and began wrapping her hand.

“It's going to be just fine” She said with fake enthusiasm.

Her lips pressed together for a plastic and closed smile.

But her betraying hands continued to tremble frenziedly as she became growingly frustrated with her lack of skill in the art of bandaging.

She let out an exasperated growl, sweeping away the sheen of sweat covering her forehead with the back of her hand.

“I suck at this!” She half pouted and Hope smiled.

“You're doing fine”

“A regular Florence Nightingale. That's me!” She mocked when she was done.

Her nose wrinkled when she saw her finished work, so did Hope's.

She wasn't kidding when she said she sucked at this.

Catching her look, she quickly reached for the edge of the dressing and began unwrapping it again.

“I can do this better” She explained before she could ask.

'”t was ok. You don't have to...”

Hope trailed off when she realised she wasn't going to be able to dissuade her and settled for watching her.

Concentrated in her self imposed task, she nibbled at the corner of her lips and she couldn't help the smile on her face.

She looked gorgeous when she did that.

More than gorgeous. She looked...

 _Don't go there!_ Hope mentally scolded herself and dropped her gaze awkwardly.

Hope tried to ignore the feel of her skin as she manoeuvred her hand around so she could wrap it.

Her fingers felt warm and smooth against her tender flesh. She really needed to hurry with this.

“Josie, it's fine. Just…”

“No! I can do this” She cut her off as she continued stubbornly.

Hope closed her eyes and willed her body to focus on the pain and nothing else. Not her wandering hands, or the way her knee was pushed up against her, the balmy air that rushed over her arm every time she exhaled or...

 _Just hurry up, please!_ Hope begged her in her mind.

As if she had heard her, her hands dropped to her lap limply, the intimate contact broken abruptly.

“I can't do this!2 She suddenly blurted.

“Of course you can. See, it's holding” Hope tried to cheer her up.

“I'm not talking about that”

She sounded frustrated and scared.

“What…”

“I can't just pretend like everything's fine”

Her eyes were large, her brows furrowed.

Hope opened her mouth to speak but she wouldn't let her.

“I've seen you being thrown clear across a room, crashing into _solid_ object. And you just got up like nothing happened. And now you hit the wall and suddenly you've got a monster gash in your hand”

“Josie”

“Stop it, Hope!” The fear had quickly morphed into anger and a desperate need to do something. “Stop acting like every thing's just fine cause I know it's not”

Hope knew where this was going and she didn't want to deal with that right now so she got up to put some distance between them.

But Josie didn't let up and she was standing next to her in a heartbeat.

“It's the only way!”

She was in her face, challenging her.

Hope back peddled until her thighs hit something and she found herself again sandwiched between bed and a very adamant Josie.

“Hope!”

“Josie, I'm not doing that!”

“Why not?” She yelled.

Hope’s eyes widened at her.

“I'm not going to use you like that!”

The two were now shouting at each other.

“It's the only thing that might work!”

“I don't care!”

“I do!” She snapped. “I'm not just going to sit and watch while you die!”

Hope closed her eyes for a second, trying to get her bearings. Regaining control over her outburst she spoke in a low voice:

“I'm not going to die”

She stared up at her defiantly as ever, her fiery eyes sparking with an intense range of emotions.

Hope gulped when she took a step and her shirt brushed up against her, making her uncomfortably.

Hope’s breathing came to a halt when her hands tangled behind her neck, her face, her mouth an inch from her.

 _Oh, god no._ Hope thought, her body reacted to her closeness.

She was leaning closer and she felt her determination wavering. With her last thread of resolve, she somehow managed to slide along the bed away from her alluring presence.

She made an attempt to trap her again but she shook her head and mumbled weakly:

“No”

After a beat:

“Ok” She exhaled, coming around to stand in front of her.

Hope's shoulders dropped as she relaxed.

“I-I'll just go to get…“

And then her fingers were on the buttons of her shirt.

Hope's eyebrows shot up high on her forehead in shock and she inched closer to the bed as she popped one button after the other; a peek of black lace grabbing her attention.

“Jo-Josie, wha-what are you doing?” Her voice was hoarse and strained.

She didn't answer her.

“Josie! Wait, no! Josie!”

Her desperate hands clumsily alternated between gripping the bed and releasing it

Hope followed the light blue piece of clothing as it was dismissively throw to the floor. When she looked up her eyes immediately zoomed in on the black bra covering Josie's chest.

 _Stop staring at them, stop staring at them_ The mantra didn't seem to be working.

Hope just stood there, pushing back against the bed, her fingers digging into it as she gawked at her.

Josie's next move seemed to spring her into action. When her arms reached for the back clasp of her bra she jolted and grabbed them.

Hope’s mechanical reaction had proven to be a treacherous one rendering them in an unplanned embrace. Her hands were on the clasp, her on her wrists, her arms effectively wrapped around her, her chest was flush against her, her mouth... so close.

She shifted ever so faintly causing her pelvis to rub up against her.

She could see the pleasure it elicited in her by the way her eyes became golden, her lids falling half closed.

“Josie...”

God, she sounded so needy.

Her reply came from her thighs as she pushed against her.

“Wait... we... we can't do this... Andrea's gonna...”

But then again that was her plan, wasn't it?

“Josie... please... don't...”

Hope pleaded with her eyes.

“If this is the only way...”

“There has to be something else”

“What if there isn't?” Josie breathed, her gaze dropping to her mouth for a second before meeting her once more as she uttered: “I don't want to lose you”

The fear flickered in her face.

“You're not going to lose me” Hope tried to sound convincing, but failed.

“Not if we do this and it works”

“I'm not going to do that to you. I don't...” Hope paused.

This was really hard.

“I can't”

“Yes, you can” She insisted.

Another push of her hips. And another gulp from Hope.

Hope’s mouth hovered over hers, their hasty pants melting together as she continued to rub herself up against her.

“God, Josie...” Hope groaned throatily. “...don't do that...”

With a racing heart she defied her and did it again.

“Josie... please... ah...”

And again. And…

She lost it.

Hope’s mouth came crashing upon hers, greedy, hard, pulling at her lips, sucking at them while her hands released her wrists to grasp her waist, gruffly jerking her closer to her, forcing her to arch her back; which she did, gladly. Her own mouth reacted with the same need and passion as their kiss deepened and tongues came into play.

They moved urgently against the other's body, thrusting, heaving, groaning and gasping in an intoxicating combination of lust and fear.

They were so immersed in their battle for dominance, they failed to notice when Andrea walked into the house.

Andrea breathed heavily as the sensations raged in her, a mixture of anger and overwhelming pleasure creating a suffocating assault on her mind.

She watched from afar as Hope's mouth worried Josie's neck, her head lolling back while her nails dragged down her bare back.

Her heart stopped when, between slitting eyes, she caught a glimpse of Andrea.


	26. Chapter 26

Without saying a word Andrea walked fully into the living room.

Hope felt the Josie's muscles contract beneath her fingers; her body went completely stiff, her nails stopped on her lower back.

Reluctantly, her mouth abandoned her neck and she looked up to see Andrea glaring at them.

“I guess you changed your mind” Andrea's eyes dropped suggestively to the forgotten shirt on the floor.

Hope was still panting when she gently pushed Josie away from her.

“No, I haven't”

“Could have fooled me” Andrea shot back raising an eyebrow at her.

“It was a mistake”

“Yeah, you and your mistakes” She jibbed in disgust.

Hope stood up to her full height and Josie could feel the immediate tension between the two.

“We are not starting this again” She intervened.

“I didn't start anything. I was outside, cooling off, remember?”

The accusation was evident in her voice.

She ran her hand over her face, dragging it along her hair and pushing away.

_Think, think, think._

“I'm going” Hope announced suddenly.

Her hand on her chest halted her.

“You're not going anywhere. The three of us are going to sit down and figure this out” Josie ordered.

“Josie...”

“No! Now, think!”

“That's all I've been doing” Hope protested.

“I don't think that's _all_ you've been doing, pal”

Josie shot Andrea a dirty look.

“Not helping”

“I never do” Andrea retorted unable to hide the hurt.

Josie felt a pang of guilt.

“I'm sorry...” She muttered.

“It's ok. I'm used to it by now” The arrogance returned to her tone.

_“Great!”_

The silence spread between them once again.

Feeling the seconds tick away Josie turned to Hope.

“Maybe we don't have to... I mean, before all you guys did was touch my arm and it started to work...”

“No” Hope's reply was low and adamant.

Andrea rolled her eyes at her.

“You're such a prude”

“It's not a matter of being a prude. I'm not going to use her like that”

“A minute ago you were ready to go to it”

Anger sparked in her and she threateningly strode towards Andrea.

“It was a mistake. It's not going to happen again” Hope gritted in her face.

Josie watched the two have their umpteenth glaring contest. God, they were stubborn! It was like one step forward, two steps back with them.

They were never going to solve this. They were going to fight and bicker until both of them were- No!

Without thinking she pushed her body between the two girls and faced Hope.

“Kiss me”

Both Hope and Andrea were shocked by her sudden request.

“What?” Hope choked out.

“Kiss me” She repeated staring up at her.

“No, I can't”

“It's just a kiss”

“I'm not going to-“

Her mouth was on her, cutting her off, her hands locking on the crooks of her neck and forcing her to stand still while her lips moved over her in earnest.

Hope went completely solid for a second, her mind yelling at her to push her away, but her body urging her to respond.

The tug of wills carried on and she remained paralyzed.

Hope wasn't the only one though.

Andrea just stared, wide eyed as Josie continued to tempt Hope.

_I can't do this. Not like this_ Hope kept telling herself as Josie continued to move provocatively against her.

But her treacherous body betrayed her.

Andrea could feel the heat rising in her and yet she remained still.

Why wasn't she moving? And what was this nagging feeling constricting her chest? Guilt?

Gathering all her willpower, Hope was barely able to pull away from her.

“Not like this” Hope gasped against her mouth.

“Hope, please... just keep your eyes on me” Josie begged her, brushing her lips over her while one of her hands dropped and reached back to find Andrea's.

She intertwined her fingers with her and tugged her gently towards her until her body was pressing up against her.

She brought her arm around her waist and rested her palm flat on her naked stomach.

“We'll just kiss...” Josie promised Hope both with her words and her eyes before kissing her fully.

Andrea's lids fell heavily at the new wave of pleasure coming from her counterpart.

Josie's grip on Hope tightened as she inched closer to gain better access to her mouth which still refused to open up for her. She nibbled and sucked at her lips, urging her on.

Like she'd done before, she pushed her pelvis against her and she could tell her resolve was crumbling when she let out a throaty groan.

She seized the opportunity and slipped her tongue inside.

God, she tasted so good!

Hope couldn't believe she was doing this, but before she knew it, she was responding to her, her tongue pushing against hers. Her clumsy hands landed on her hips and pulled her in closer.

Andrea let out a protesting growl when she moved away from her and she quickly closed the gap between them once more.

Josie’s mind was whirling, her heart racing as she found herself trapped between two hard bodies.

She mewled into Hope's mouth when she felt Andrea's lips on her shoulder, her fingers delving into the back of her head so she could push her hair out of the way as she began trailing hot, open mouth kisses along her scalding skin until she reached that stop behind her ear.

That spot would be the death of her.

Instinctively, she arched her back, pushing her chest up against Hope's while her ass pressed into Andrea.

As a result, her hand pawed desperately at her belly, hauling her closer.

Hope gasped, tearing her mouth away from Josie so she could draw harsh gulps of air into her suffocating lungs.

The feeling was overwhelming. Dealing with her own sensations when she was with Josie was hard enough, but having to do that while Andrea's own pleasure bounced off of her was impossible.

Her eyes snapped open under the powerful chaos breaking out inside of her.

What she saw stunned her - she was glowing, literally. So was Andrea.

Her mind was so overloaded by the onslaught of emotions she didn't even notice when it started happening.

All she knew was that Hope wasn't kissing her anymore and that was bad.

She opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by light. It was like a sheet of brightness, wrapped around her.

Her wide gaze met Hope's.

It was working!

But Josie and Hope's intimate exchange was cut short when Andrea's hand forced her to turn her head towards her, her mouth demanding attention from hers.

To her surprise, she kissed her gently, giving her time to respond in kind, which she did but not before sliding her hand behind Hope's head and pulling her into the crook of her neck.

She relaxed when she felt her lips sweeping across her collarbone, her tongue darting out for a series of tempting licks.

Her hips shifted and two feminine groans reverberated in the room.

Josie was shocked when she felt Hope's teeth biting into her shoulder, her lips earnestly suckling at her flesh, her fingers digging into her waist, while Andrea continued to kiss her softly, tenderly, her thumb drawing lazy circles over her stomach.

She tried to think, but all she achieved was a series of disconnected thoughts, jumbled, confused.

They switched? Was this a result of...?

The three moved in unison, gliding, pushing against each other, completely unaware of the pulsating light that now engulfed them.

Everything became muddled and hazy when Hope's mouth found that small patch of skin behind her ear and began worrying it with her tongue; her hand fisted in her hair and she rubbed herself against her.

Her hand, which had been resting over Andrea's, on her belly, moved around to clasp at her ass.

In one fluid move she shoved her pelvis into Hope's and yanked Andrea closer.

“Oh, god...”

“Josie…”

She heard them mumble simultaneously.

It was the last thing she was aware of before everything went blank.


End file.
